FRISCO – Houston Christian’s Natcha Makmanee was named the Southland Conference Women’s Golf Player of the Year, while HCU’s Jordan Jeffers earned Coach of the Year honors, headlining the league’s all-conference selections announced Thursday.
UTRGV’s Miriam Barcalova was tabbed Newcomer of the Year, and HCU’s Sara Pihlajamaki earned Freshman of the Year recognition.
Makmanee put together a dominant sophomore campaign, leading the conference with a 73.97 scoring average while adding two top-three finishes. The Nonthaburi, Thailand native posted a 572-223-9 record on the year and was ranked 431st nationally.
Pihlajamaki made an immediate impact in her rookie season, capturing the 2026 Southland Conference individual championship. The Nokia, Finland native recorded a 75.36 scoring average, added a top-three finish, and compiled a 459-314-31 record while finishing the year ranked 819th nationally.
Barcalova, a transfer from FAU, emerged as a key contributor for UTRGV, finishing as the runner-up at the Southland Championship. The sophomore posted a 77.0 stroke average and was ranked 1028th nationally.
Jeffers guided HCU to a standout season, posting a conference-best 297.45 team scoring average while leading the Huskies to four first-team all-conference selections. HCU also placed three individuals among the league’s top performers statistically, with Jeffers holding the top national ranking among Southland coaches at No. 135.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Natcha Makmanee, HCU
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Sara Pihlajamaki, HCU
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Miriam Barcalova, UTRGV
COACH OF THE YEAR: Jordan Jeffers, HCU
FIRST TEAM
| Player |
School |
Yr. |
Hometown |
| Alejandra Ferrer |
HCU |
Sr. |
Sara Pihlajamaki |
| Natcha Makmanee |
HCU |
So. |
Nonthaburi, Thailand |
| Sara Pihlajamaki |
HCU |
Fr. |
Nokia, Finland |
| Alyssa Stewart |
HCU |
So. |
Mansfield, Texas |
| Miriam Barcalova |
UTRGV |
So. |
Prague, Czech Republic |
SECOND TEAM
| Player |
School |
Yr. |
Hometown |
| Marie Baertz |
East Texas A&M |
Jr. |
Luxembourg |
| Hailey Hendershott |
HCU |
Sr. |
Paris, Ontario, Canada |
| Samanatha Gibbs |
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
Jr. |
Fort Worth, Texas |
| Lucia Ramirez |
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
Sr. |
Barquisimeto, Venezuela |
| Natalia Rodriguez |
UTRGV |
Jr. |
Cantabria, Spain |