The USA South Athletic Conference has announced its 2025 All-Conference awards for women's golf. Individually, Piedmont's Erin Donovan was named Golfer of the Year, Southern Virginia's Lexi Leavitt collected Rookie of the Year, and Huntingdon's Katelyn Gilmore grabbed Coach of the Year. Also, the USA South recognized an All-Sportsmanship Team, consisting of one member from each competing school.
All awards, with the exception of the Coach of the Year, are determined by the national rankings as accumulated by Clippd, the official ranking service of the NCAA, from Friday, April 18, 2025. The coach of the year was determined by a vote of the USA South women's golf coaches.
Donovan, a junior from Southaven, Mississippi becomes the first women's golf athlete to earn two USA South Player of the Year accolades to go along with a Rookie of the Year honor in a career. She also becomes the second to be named USA South Women's Golf Player of the Year in consecutive seasons. Donovan is currently the 13th-ranked player in Division III according to Clippd, averaging a USA South-best 74.2 in 17 rounds of play. In eight events, Donovan has recorded eight rounds of par or better with four top-five finishes and two individual titles. For her efforts, Donovan earned First Team All-Conference honors for the third consecutive season and was named USA South Golfer of the Week three times.
Leavitt, a freshman from St. George, Utah becomes the first Knight golfer to earn USA South Women's Golf Rookie of the Year accolades. Leavitt is currently averaging 85.0 per round through eight events played during the regular season. She has two top-ten finishes this year with a low-round of 74. Finally, Leavitt earned USA South Rookie Golfer of the Week on three occasions.
Gilmore, in her first year at the helm of Huntingdon, becomes the first Hawk coach to be named USA South Women's Golf Coach of the Year. Gilmore has guided the Hawks to a national ranking of 26th, according to Clippd, thanks to a League-best scoring average of 314.9 in 16 rounds this season. Huntingdon has finished in the top-five twice, including a second place finish at the Chick-fil-A Invitational this spring.
Player of the Year |
Rookie of the Year |
Coach of the Year |
Erin Donovan
Piedmont |
Lexi Leavitt
Southern Virginia |
Katelyn Gilmore
Huntingdon
|
The 2025 USA South Women's Golf All-Conference Team:
First Team All-Conference |
Second Team All-Conference |
Natalie Brosig, Methodist
Mary Charles Davis, Huntingdon
Erin Donovan, Piedmont
Emily Gresham, Methodist
Sydney Richards, Southern Virginia |
Ava Catherine Banks, Huntingdon
Caroline Culbertson, Huntingdon
Keegan Goins, Piedmont
Molly McCluskey, Methodist
Briana Willis, Huntingdon |
All-Sportsmanship |
Carlie Aultman, Huntingdon
Emma McCoy, LaGrange
Chloe Dunlap, Maryville
Lainey Edwards, Meredith
Emily Gresham, Methodist
Ella Couper, Pfeiffer
Marissa Weaver, Piedmont
Maura Hawkes, Southern Virginia |