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Women's Golf BIG EAST Postseason Honors - 2024

Georgetown Sweeps BIG EAST Women’s Golf Awards

5/1/2024 3:00:00 PM

WASHINGTON – For the first time in program history, the Georgetown women's golf team has swept the BIG EAST Conference postseason awards. Senior captain Megan Gormley was named the BIG EAST Player of the Year, Morgan Smith was named the BIG EAST Freshman of the Year and Head Coach Kate Schanuel was named the BIG EAST Coach of the Year. Additionally, Gormley and Smith were two of a trio of Hoyas named to the seven-person All-BIG EAST Team.
 
MEGAN GORMLEY (SENIOR  / PALOS VERDES ESTATES, CALIF. / PALOS VERDES)
BIG EAST PLAYER OF THE YEAR | ALL-BIG EAST TEAM
  • Megan Gormley closed the season with a 73.84 stroke average in 25 rounds of stroke play. The senior captain competed in all 29 rounds of action, including match play this season.
  • She turned in a pair of runner-up finishes during the 2023-24 campaign, totaling four over her career.
  • The captain was twice named the BIG EAST Golfer of the Week with one honor each in the spring (April 20) and the fall (September 20).
  • For the year, she carded eight rounds under par, the most on the team, and one at par.
  • With 70 birdies and 269 pars on the year, she averages 2.80 birdies and 10.76 pars per round.
  • The Palos Verdes Estates native turned in an even 216 (70-70-76) to tie for third at the BIG EAST Championships, including a pair of rounds under par.
  • Gormley becomes the third Hoya to earn Player of the Year accolades, joining Jacquelyn Eleey (2017-18) and Alexa Popowitz (2016-17).
  • Gormley received all five possible votes. Coaches are not permitted to vote for their own players.
 
MORGAN SMITH (FRESHMAN  / WESTFORD, MASS.. / WESTFORD ACADEMY AND PHILLIPS EXETER ACADEMY)
BIG EAST FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR | ALL-BIG EAST TEAM
  • Morgan Smith finished the year  with a 73.32 stroke average in 25 rounds of stroke play. The freshman played all 29 rounds of golf, including match play, this season.
  • Smith turned in a trio of runner-up performances this season, including the 2024 BIG EAST Championship. She became the first Hoya frosh to take runner-up honors at the conference tournament.
  • She was thrice named the BIG EAST Golfer of the Week with all three coming during the fall season (November 1, October 11, September 20).
  • For her freshman season, she carded six rounds under par, including all three rounds of the UNCG Collegiate when she managed a 7-under 209 (71-71-67) on the par-72, 6,020-yard course. Her 5-under 67 in the final round of the UNCG Collegiate matches the program record for an individual 18-hole performance. She added a pair of rounds at even par on the season.
  • With 62 birdies and 295 pars, a squad high, she averaged 2.48 birdies and 11.80 pars per round.
  • The Westford, Massachusetts native turned in a 1-under 215 (73-70-72) to take second at the BIG EAST Championship.
  • Smith becomes the fourth Hoya in program history to be named the Freshman of the Year, joining Popowitz (2015-16), Eleey (2014-15) and Jenny Xiao (2013-14).
  • Smith received all five possible votes. Coaches are not permitted to vote for their own players.
 
KATE SCHANUEL (HEAD COACH / SEVENTH SEASON)
BIG EAST COACH OF THE YEAR
  • Head Coach Kate Schanuel becomes the first in program history to be named the BIG EAST Coach of the Year.
  • During the 2023-24 campaign, Schanuel has guided the Hoya squad to a trio of rounds under par, including a pair of rounds at 3-under 285. The 3-under 285s match the program record for a team 18-hole score, originally set in 2016 at the Ron Moore Intercollegiate.
  • Of four rounds of under par golf in program history, Schanuel coached three of them and they were all during the 2023-24 campaign.
  • This is the first season Georgetown has swept the BIG EAST women's golf awards and the first year with multiple major award winners.
  • With a trio on the All-BIG EAST Team, it is just the second time in program history the Hoyas have had three named All-BIG EAST as GU achieved the feat in 2015-16 when Eleey, Christina Parsells and Popowitz all earned the postseason honor.
  • The Blue & Gray has only once eclipsed a trio named All-BIG EAST and that was the 2016-17 when a quartet of Hoyas (Eleey, Parsells, Popowitz and Ashley Fitzgibbons) made the list.
  • Georgetown won three tournaments during the 2023-24 season, the second most in program history, shy of the record of five during the 2017-18 season.
 
GEORGIA RUFFOLO (JUNIOR  / TAMPA, FLA. / ACADEMY OF HOLY NAMES / WAKE FOREST)
ALL-BIG EAST TEAM
  • Georgia Ruffolo finished the year with a 73.60 stroke average in 25 rounds of stroke play. The junior transfer played all 29 rounds of golf, including match play, this season while competing as an individual in a pair of events in the fall.
  • Ruffolo won the first tournament of her career when she helped the Hoyas defend their team title at the Lady Bison Invitational. She carded an even 213 (74-68-71).
  • She was twice named the BIG EAST Golfer of the Week with a pair of nods this spring (April 4, March 19).
  • For the season, she carded four rounds under par, including a 5-under 67 in the final round of the UNCG Collegiate. The mark matches the program record for an individual 18-hole performance. Ruffolo added a trio of rounds at even par this season.
  • With 76 birdies and 261 pars, she averages 3.04 birdies and 10.44 pars per round.
  • The Tampa native tied for third at the BIG EAST Championship carding an even 216 (74-69-73). Her 3-under 69 in the second round matches the program record for lowest 18-hole score for a Hoya at the BIG EAST Championship, set by Gormley in 2022.
 
 
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