2015 All-Pacific West Conference Teams & Awards Release -- May 20, 2015

IRVINE, Calif. — A successful season by the Academy of Art University women's golf team was recognized again Wednesday when the Pacific West Conference announced its annual awards, as the Urban Knights won six total honors, including recognition in all three individual awards.
 
Sophomore Crystal Wang was voted 2015 PacWest Co-Golfer of the Year alongside California Baptist's Tina Yang. Freshman Shu-lin Lin was named the 2015 PacWest Freshman of the Year outright, and head coach Elaine Harris was named 2015 PacWest Co-Coach of the Year along with Point Loma's Jacqui McSorley. Lin and Wang were also placed on the All-PacWest First Team while sophomore Roxanne Matta was named to the All-PacWest Second Team. 
Wang had a historic season for ART U, going farther than any Urban Knight had ever gone in the six-year history of the program. She won the NCAA Division II West Super Regional title on May 6 en route to qualifying for the NCAA National Championship as an individual, where she would finish 27th. She was named to the Women's Golf Coaches Association 2014-15 All-West Region team on Friday. She posted a 76.7 stroke average in 29 rounds during the year, cutting her stroke average from a year ago (77.8) by more than a stroke. Wang earned eight top-10 finishes during the season, including beating Yang at the NCAA Regional.

"Crystal and Tina are very good friends and both great golfers," said Harris. "In many tournaments they have been paired together and are great competitors, pushing each other to always to improve. I loved watching them compete this year at the CBU Invitational. The last day they were neck and neck for First Place.  While Tina ended up winning the individual title, Crystal lead her team to their first team victory. I am so proud of Crystal and so happy that she shares this award with Tina this year."
 
Lin was also named to the WGCA All-West Region team on Friday after a season with five top-10 finishes of her own and 10 top-20 showings in her first year of collegiate golf. She was second on the team with a 76.8 stroke average in 25 rounds played. She led the team to a third place finish at the Pacific West Conference Championship in April with a third place individual showing. She was one stroke away on May 6 from getting into a playoff for the third and final national championship individual qualifying spot at the NCAA Regional.

"Shu-Lin is very deserving of the Freshman of the Year award," said Harris. "Her performance at the PacWest Conference Tournament, I believe, cemented her position as the Freshman of the Year.  She showed that she competes with the best in the conference when she placed third in the tournament just behind two seniors who are both stand-out golfers in the conference. I am so excited for her career in golf and look forward to watching her continue to grow in her game next year."
 
Matta collected three top-10 finishes and seven top-20 showings during the season. Her best finish was sixth at the CBU Women's Invitational in February. Matta was third on the team with a 78.9 stroke average and was a key scorer for the team in every tournament as it grabbed six top-five finishes during the season, including the team title at the CBU Women's Invitational.

"Roxanne has been a solid player all year long," said Harris. "She improved more than three strokes in her average from last year and I am so proud of her accomplishments. She is a great athlete, competitive and driven. I look forward to watching her continue to improve and leading this team to greatness."

Harris, in her second season as head coach of the program, guided the Urban Knights to equaling their highest-ever national ranking (No. 25) and their third consecutive top-three finish at the PacWest Championship. She also helped guide Wang into Academy of Art's first-ever national championship appearance by a non-cross country or track and field athlete.

"I am so honored to get this award of the PacWest Coach of the year from my fellow coaches in the conference," said Harris. "I feel so fortunate to be coaching alongside them in the PacWest Conference. They are outstanding people who really care about the well-being of their student-athletes and helping them become better golfers, technically, mentally and physically."