NEW ORLEANS | After recording a Top-5 finish and setting both single-round and 54-hole career lows, South Alabama women's golfer Mercedes Aldana was named the Sun Belt Conference Women's Golfer of the Week on Friday as announced by the league office.

The honor marks the sixth time a golfer has earned the league's weekly honor under head coach Marcelo Huarte, joining Daniela Palmeros and Anna Behnsen who did so last season, and Katharina Schroll (twice) and Aldana, who received the accolade during the 2024-25 season

Aldana is one of nine women's golfer in program history to earn the conference's weekly honor and the 15th overall selection. Three other players have also been named the SBC Golfer of the Month. The honor marks the second time in her career in which she has earned the weekly honor, making her just the fourth player in program history to have done so multiple times during their Jaguar career.

Aldana fired a career-low three-round, five-under par 208 (68-71-69) to tie for fifth at the 29th Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championship hosted by Tennessee at the Cherokee Country Club in Knoxville, Tenn., earlier this week.

Led by Aldana, South Alabama posted a three-round, 861 marking the fourth-lowest total for a tournament in program history and the lowest since carding an 858 at the Pat Bradley Invitational (9/30-10/1/24).

Aldana's first-round 68 marked a new career low for the junior and was her second career round under 70. After beginning the opening round plus-1 after her first four holes, Aldana was four-under over her final 14 of the round, including three-under on the front nine.

The first-round 68 also marked the seventh time in Aldana's career in which she has been under par, including three in the opening round of play. The 68 also tied for fourth-lowest score in the opening round of a tournament and was the lowest first-round score by a Jag since Schroll's 68 at the 2024 Pat Bradley Invitational.

Aldana was tied for fourth in both par 4 (3.90) and par 5 (4.60) scoring among the field. Aldana's 12 birdies were also tied for sixth-most at the event

South Alabama is currently competing at the Sixth Annual Evie Odom Invitational hosted by Old Dominion at the Princess Anne Country Club in Norfolk, Va.

South Alabama Women's Golfers to earn Sun Belt Conference Golfer of the Week Honors    
2026-27 | Mercedes Aldana | 10/9/26
2025-26 |Daniela Palmeros | 10/24/25
2025-26 | Anna Behnsen | 9/18/25
2024-25 | Katharina Schroll | 3/27/25
2024-25 | Katharina Schroll | 3/13/25
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

FOLLOW THE JAGS
For complete coverage of South Alabama women's golf, follow the Jags on social media @SouthAlabamaWGLF (Twitter), SouthAlabamaJaguars (Facebook) or visit the official home of South Alabama athletics at usajaguars.com.