Women’s Golfers Earn Academic Honors

Emily Tubert hits from the third tee during the second round of the Wal-Mart NW Arkansas Championship at Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers on Saturday, June 30, 2012.

Arkansas women’s golfers Emily Tubert, Gabriela Lopez and Victoria Vela earned selection to the Women’s Golf Coaches Association All-American Scholars Team, the organization announced Monday.

Vela was a senior on last season’s team who graduated with a degree in marketing in May. Tubert is a senior-to-be working on a broadcast journalism degree and Lopez is a sophomore-to-be working on her degree in communication.

To be selected, honorees must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.50.

“This is really a great achievement for these young ladies,” Arkansas women’s golf coach Shauna Estes-Taylor said. “We focus on the total college experience at Arkansas and it is clear to our student-athletes that the classroom comes first and I’m very proud of all three of these young women for their accomplishments.”

The selection is the fourth consecutive for Vela and the third for Tubert.

The trio paced the Razorbacks to a No. 8 final ranking after a tie for 13th place at the 2013 NCAA Championship in Athens, Ga.

As a team the Razorbacks posted nine top five finishes, six top three finishes and won one tournament in the 2012-13 season. The fall season saw the Razorbacks finish third twice and tie for fifth in the three-event season.

The Razorbacks opened the spring with back-to-back second place showings at the Puerto Rico Golf Classic and the Westbrook Invitational. In addition, Arkansas had the medalists in both those events with Tubert winning in Puerto Rico and Lopez picking up the individual title at the Westbrook.

The Razorbacks picked up the team title at the LSU Golf Classic in Baton Rouge, La. on March 24. The Razorbacks were 10-stroke winners and led the event wire-to-wire.

Tubert and Lopez were All-Southeastern Conference selections with Tubert also earning honorable mention All-America honors on the golf course. Vela was selected to the SEC’s Women’s Golf Community Service Team.