MELBOURNE, Fla. – Saint Leo University golfer Marie Coors has been named the 2016-17 Sunshine State Conference Female Athlete of the Year and Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Coors was chosen for the awards through votes conducted among SSC Athletic Directors, Senior Woman Administrators, Athletic Communication Directors, and Faculty Athletic Representatives from each of the nine member institutions.
The Gross-Zimmern, Germany native boasts a myriad of achievements both on and off the course in 2016-17. Most notably, Coors took individual national champion honors at the 2017 NCAA Division II Women's Golf Championship in Findlay, Ohio. Shortly following the championship she became the 23rd SSC athlete to be named Women’s Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) Division II Golfer of the Year.
Coors won three tournaments during the 2016-17 campaign with 10 Top-5 finishes across 12 tournaments. Following a runner-up performance at the SSC championship, an event she won in 2014 and 2016, she was named conference Golfer of the Year a second time by league head coaches. She remains the only Lion to win Golfer of the Year and is the fifth athlete to win the award twice
1. In regional play, Coors placed third at super regional, qualifying for nationals as an individual. Coors repeats as an All-Conference, All-Region, and All-American selection from 2016.
In 2017, Coors was honored as the CoSIDA At-Large Women’s Academic All-American of the Year and repeats as a First Team Academic All-American. An economics major, she graduated from Saint Leo in April with a 4.00 grade point average. Coors was a four-time recipient of the SSC Commissioner’s Honor Roll and recently earned Saint Leo's Clara McDonald Olson Scholastic Excellence Award. The honor is presented to the member of the graduating class with the highest GPA attained over four years.
Before she took the to the course at the 2017 NCAA Championship, the NCAA bestowed upon her the Elite 90 award for Division II women’s golf. The NCAA Elite 90 Award is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average that is participating at a finals site for each of the NCAA's 90 championships. She the first Lion to receive the award and the 16th out of the Sunshine State Conference since the Elite 90 program's inception in 2009-10.
On campus and in the community, the perennial All-American remains active. Coors is a member of Saint Leo’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and the university’s Accounting Club. She also volunteers with Saint Leo’s Make-A-Wish campaign. Off campus, Coors donates her time to Northbridge Church and Grace Lutheran Church.
Coors becomes the fourth individual to win Female Athlete of the Year and Female Scholar-Athlete in the same year
2. She is the second Saint Leo student-athlete to be honored as SSC Scholar-Athlete
3 of the Year since the award was created in 1995-96. Coors is also the second Lion to win SSC Athlete of the Year
4 accolades dating back to 1987-88.
1Jessica Bradley, Lynn (2014-15), Sandra Changkija, Nova Southeastern (2010-11), Charlotte Campbell, Rollins (2004,2006), and Jennifer Beames, Rollins (2000, 2003) have all been named Golfer of the Year twice.
2Berkley Whaley (2015-16); Megan Brown, Florida Southern (2006-07); and Charlotte Campbell, Rollins (2003-04).
3Marcus Ruh (Men’s Basketball, 2012-13)
4 Jon Aiken (Men’s Soccer, 1996-97)
Complete Listing: SSC Athletes of the Year | SSC Scholar-Athletes of the Year