NEW ORLEANS – University of South Alabama women's golfer Julie Hovland was named the 2021 Sun Belt Conference Women's Golfer of the Year, as announced by the league office on Wednesday.

Hovland was selected as the league's top player from voting among the conference's head coaches. She is the first Jaguar women's golfer in the program's history to earn the award.  

Hovland finished tied for third at the Sun Belt Conference Championship, April 18-20 at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Fla., with a three-round, 4-under par total of 140 after the final round was canceled due to unplayable course conditions. It marked her fourth consecutive top-five finish of the spring. 

She earned individual medalist honors at two events this season, the USA Intercollegiate and the Lady Red Wolves Classic, and finished runner-up at the UNF Collegiate. She has recorded 14 rounds under par this year.

Hovland also earned first-team all-SBC honors, along with junior Siti Shaari. Both Hovland and Shaari earned all-SBC honors in 2019. It marks the third consecutive season that Shaari has received Sun Belt postseason recognition.

Coastal Carolina's Nicole Abelar was named the SBC Freshman of the Year, ULM's Chantal Dueringer was the Newcomer of the Year and CCU head coach Katie Quinney was voted the league's coach of the year.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with USAJaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at 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.