NEW ORLEANS – University of South Alabama's Matt Luther was named the Sun Belt Conference Women's Golf Coach of the Year, as announced Thursday by the league office. Sophomores Siti Shaari and Julie Hovland were recognized as first- and second-team all-Sun Belt honorees, respectively.  

Luther led the Jaguars to a Sun Belt title and the first NCAA regional appearance in program history in his fourth year as head coach. The lineup—consisting of three sophomores and two seniors—shot a season-low 877 (+13) at the LPGA International - Hills Course to win the league tournament for the first time since 1997. USA finished the season with its lowest scoring average in program history, 299.97, and earned five top-five finishes and two wins in 10 events.

Shaari, the 2018 Sun Belt Freshman of the Year, finished second in the conference head-to-head standings with a 74.14 scoring average and garnered all-Sun Belt accolades for the second consecutive year. She took the runner-up spot at the conference championship, shooting a season-low 214 (-2) and finishing one stroke shy of earning individual medalist honors. The Subangjaya, Malaysia, native led the team with five top-10 and two top-20s in 10 events. All 29 of her rounds counted toward the team total and her lowest round, 68 (-3) came at the UT Arlington Invitational. 

Hovland earns all-conference recognition for the first time in her career, finishing seventh in the head-to-head rankings with a 74.62 scoring average. The Bergen, Norway, native's 5-under-par 67 in the final round of the Bama Beach Bash in March tied the second-lowest single round in Jaguar program history. She had five top-10 finishes—including all four fall tournaments—and one top-20 on the season, and shot the team's 2018-19 low tournament total (213, -3) at the USA Intercollegiate. 

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Chip In Club, the women's golf specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund. All donations to the Chip In Club go directly to support the South Alabama women's golf program. For more information on how you can join visit: jaguarathleticfund.com/chipinclub.

—USA—