Maria Fassi named SEC player of the year

Maria Fassi pumps her fist after sinking a putt on the 10th hole during the first round of the Augusta National Women's Amateur golf tournament at Champions Retreat in Evans, Ga., Wednesday, April 3, 2019. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas senior Maria Fassi, who earned medalist honors at the SEC Championships on April 19, won her second consecutive SEC player of the year award on Thursday, as voted by the league’s 14 head coaches.

Fassi, who has nine career tournament titles, will lead the No. 8 Razorbacks at the NCAA Championships starting on May 17 at The Blessings in Fayetteville.

Fassi was joined on the eight-member All-SEC first team by fellow Arkansas seniors Kaylee Benton and Dylan Kim, as well as Alabama’s Jiwon Jeon, Auburn’s Julie McCarthy, Vanderbilt’s Abbey Carlson and Auston Kim, and South Carolina’s Lois Kaye Go.

UA freshman Brooke Matthews of Rogers was voted onto the SEC All-Freshman team.

Senior Cara Gorlei was named to the SEC’s community service team.

The other top individual honors went to Vanderbilt’s Greg Allen as coach of the year, South Carolina's Emily Price as freshman of the year, and South Carolina’s Go as scholar-athlete of the year.