MOBILE, Ala. | South Alabama women's golfer Mercedes Aldana has been named the Sun Belt Conference Women's Golfer of the Week as announced by the league office on Thursday.

The honor is the first of the freshman's career and she becomes the first South Alabama women's golfer to earn the accolade since Catharina Lohoff did so on Nov. 11, 2022.  Aldana is the sixth women's golfer in program history to earn the conference's weekly honor and the 10th overall selection. Three other players have also been named the SBC Golfer of the Month.

In South Alabama's first tournament of the spring, Aldana carded a five-under 211 as she claimed co-champion honors with Florida Gulf Coast's Lousiane Gauthier at the Sea Best Intercollegiate held at the San Jose Country Club hosted by Jacksonville. As a team, the Jaguars recorded their fourth Top 5 mark of the season, finishing fourth.

Aldana (71-69-71) entered the final round in a four-way tie for fourth, but climbed to the top as she closed strong. The freshman birdied her final two holes of the day to move into medalist honors as she sunk a 10-foot put on 17 and then drained a 20-foot put on 18 to close out her round. Aldana finished the tournament with a team-best 11 birdies over her three rounds of play. Aldana and Gauthier also tied for the second-lowest score on par fours (3.90). 

Aldana's win marked the first by a Jag golfer since Lohoff earned medalist honors at The Judson during the 2022-23 season. Aldana entered the tournament with just two rounds under par over her first four tournaments, but finished under par all three rounds at the event. The three-round 211 marked a season-low for Aldana while the win was the her first as a Jag.

South Alabama will return to action next month when they compete at the UNF Collegiate in Jacksonville, Fla. (March 3-4) at the Jacksonville Golf & Country Club.

South Alabama Women's Golfers to earn Sun Belt Conference Golfer of the Week Honors    
2024-25 | Mercedes Aldana | 2/6/25
2022-23 | Catharina Lohoff | 11/11/22
2022-23 | Greta Rietdorf | 9/30/22
2021-22 | Siti Shaari | 3/4/22
2020-21 | Siti Shaari | 10/31/20
2018-19 | Julie Hovland| 3/28/19
2018-19 | Siti Shaari| 11/1/18
2018-19 | Julie Hovland| 9/20/18
2017-18 | Siti Shaari| 9/21/17
1997-98 | Jennifer Krupa| 3/30/98

South Alabama Women's Golfers to earn Sun Belt Conference Golfer of the Month    
2011-12| Kristen Golightly | 3/6/12
2007-08| Elin Andersson | 10/3/07
2006-07| Elin Andersson | 11/8/06

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