NEW ORLEANS – ULM senior Johanna Sjursen has been named the 2026 Sun Belt Women’s Golfer of the Year, headlining the Sun Belt Conference Women’s Golf Postseason Awards and All-Conference Teams.
Nine of the Sun Belt’s 13 women’s golf programs were represented across three all-conference teams. Five teams had multiple all-conference selections, as Texas State led the way with four selections. South Alabama and ULM each had three honorees, as Old Dominion and Coastal Carolina had two apiece.
Sjursen had a standout senior year, holding a 73.28 stroke average through 41 rounds to help her team to a second Sun Belt title in four years. She recorded four top-five finishes, five top-10 finishes and an individual victory. In the postseason, the senior finished third at the NCAA Tallahassee Regional with rounds of 69-67-74 (-6) earning a trip to the national championship. Sjursen became the first ULM Warhawk to compete in the NCAA National Championships and looks ahead to her professional career after qualifying for the U.S. Women's Open.
Haven Ward appeared in 10 matches for the Eagles, collecting two top-10 finishes, including a fifth-place finish at the Valspar Augusta Invitational where she tied her lowest collegiate 54-hole score (214). Ward had a stellar performance at the conference tournament and tied her career low 18-hole score after posting a 68 in round two with five birdies and an eagle. The junior had a 74.63 stroke average across her 30 rounds and was second on the team in birdies produced this season with 63.
Grace Quintanilla finished the season as the highest ranked player in the league at No. 120, capping off an outstanding freshman season. Quintanilla led Texas State with a 71.7 adjusted scoring average, three top-five finishes, five top-10 finishes and a team-best 109 birdies. The freshman earned Sun Belt Golfer of the Week honors twice, earned Sun Belt All-Tournament Team honors and represented the Bobcats at the NCAA Waco Regional.
Rachel Pollock was named Sun Belt Coach of the Year after leading ULM to its second conference title in four years and reaching NCAA Regionals for the second time in program history. Pollock led the Warhawks to five tournament victories and three individual wins, including the stroke play and match play victory in the Sun Belt tournament. As a team, the Warhawks recorded a 294.08 stroke average and a head-to-head record of 87-48-4. ULM finished the season ranked 62nd in the Scoreboard by Clipp’d rankings, the highest ranking in program history.
2026 Sun Belt Women’s Golf Awards
Women’s Golfer of the Year
Johanna Sjursen, ULM
Women’s Freshman of the Year
Grace Quintanilla, Texas State
Women’s Newcomer of the Year
Haven Ward, Georgia Southern
Women’s Coach of the Year
Rachel Pollock, ULM
First Team All-Sun Belt
Anna Behnsen, South Alabama
Barbara Carr, Old Dominion
Yvonne Chamness, Texas State
Zoe Duval, App State
Grace Quintanilla, Texas State
Johanna Sjursen, ULM
Second Team All-Sun Belt
Anna Andrysova, ULM
Carla Bourdeaux, Coastal Carolina
Lilian Buehle, South Alabama
Louise Cuyvers, Southern Miss
Fia Lindblom, Texas State
Ella Murray, Coastal Carolina
Third Team All-Sun Belt
Puneet Bajwa, Old Dominion
Margaux Brejo, Georgia Southern
Daniela Campillo, ULM
Grace Kalina, Georgia State
Briana LeMaire, Texas State
Daniela Palmeros, South Alabama