Fassi named SEC Female Athlete of the Year

Arkansas golfer Maria Fassi celebrates on the 18th green during the NCAA Women's Golf Championships on Monday, May 20, 2019, at Blessings Golf Club in Fayetteville. Fassi shot a 5-under 68 in the final round of stroke play to earn the individual national title - the Razorbacks' first since Stacy Lewis in 2007.

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas women’s golfer Maria Fassi was named SEC Female Athlete of the Year by the league’s athletic directors on Wednesday.

Fassi is the second female athlete from Arkansas to win the SEC’s highest honor, joining Amy Yoder Begley (2001).

Florida track and field athlete Grant Holloway earned the award on the men's side.

"So humbled and (honored) to receive this recognition,” Fassi posted to her verified Twitter account shorty after the announcement. “I could’ve not done any of it without the support from my teammates, coaches and staff (at Arkansas). Thanks everyone for making this possible.”

Fassi closed her college career in style, winning both SEC and NCAA individual national titles. She also became the first golfer to win back-to-back ANNIKA Awards, presented annually to the top female United States collegiate golfer.

With her win at the NCAA Championships in late May, Fassi became Arkansas’ second national champion, joining Stacy Lewis, who won her title in 2007.

On April 6, Fassi finished runner-up at the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur and, in early May, less than one month after earning medalist honors at the SEC Championships, she won her second consecutive SEC player of year award.

Fassi's 71.12 scoring average last season was good for the second-best single-season average in school history, topped only by her average from the 2017-18 season (70.5).

“For Maria Fassi to win this award speaks volumes to what she did this season on and off the golf course,” Arkansas coach Shauna Taylor said in a release. “She was determined to leave her forever mark on our team and university and this is another award that recognizes her outstanding play and engraves her name in our history books forever.

"I’m so grateful for the impact Maria had on my life, but more importantly for the contributions she made to help our team, our university, and our community.”

Three Arkansas men - baseball player Andrew Benintendi (2015), runner Alistair Cragg (2003 and 2004) and basketball player Corliss Williamson (1994) - have previously won the award.