CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. - Following an academic year that saw its program sport a 3.629 team grade point average, Western Illinois women's golf now has had several members receive strong honors. Five golfers - Hannah Butler, Abbie Gault, Riley Hansen, Cassidy Jurkaites, and Katie Tanner - were named to the Women's Golf Coaches Association's (WGCA) 2021 All-American Scholar Team, announced on Tuesday (July 6).

Western tied with Denver and North Dakota State for the most selections (five) amongst Summit League member schools. The process involves heavy selection criteria, as candidates must hold a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.50 to see recognition.

"I am very proud of these outstanding student-athletes for maintaining such high grades while competing at a high level," said WIU Director of Golf Lia Biehl Lukkarinen. "It is always a challenge to manage time demands, and this past year was even more difficult due to COVID-19. I look forward to seeing our ladies continue their hard work this fall."

No stranger to the Scholar Team, Jurkaites earned a spot for the fifth time in her career. The Accounting major received her diploma back in May with a 3.875 GPA to finish her Leatherneck career.

Tanner, who posted a team-low 79.80 round average during the spring season, finished with a 3.738 GPA while furthering her studies in Science Education. A fellow rising junior, Butler played in 12 total rounds and paced the group with a 3.967 GPA clip. She is an ECON major while also minoring in Pre-Law.

Gault, a Supply Chain Management major, set a new career-low round average in 2020-21 and stood second on the team with a 3.932 GPA. In her first collegiate year, Hansen impressed with several notable instances of play, including three 'top 10' showings. The Neponset, Ill. native, is studying Speech Pathology and Audiology, where she marked a 3.512 GPA in year one.
 

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