Chiara Tamburlini Named SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Ole Miss women’s golf senior Chiara Tamburlini was recognized as the SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year at the conclusion of the third round of the SEC Championship, the conference announced on Friday.

This marks the first time an Ole Miss women’s golfer has claimed SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year status since 2016, when Abby Newton came away with the honor in her senior season with the Rebels.

“I’ve always put a lot of work in when it comes to my classes as well as on the golf course,” Tamburlini said. “Just to be able to be rewarded for all the hard work and the late nights is just really fun for me.”

“My priority has always been school. I golf and that’s just as important, but I would never just let school or my grades slip just for golf. I’ve always loved the grind and learning new things so this is really special.”

“This is something Chiara has always strived for,” head coach Kory Henkes said. “She has always worked hard in the classroom and she’s just so deserving, so I’m just glad that she’s finally getting recognized for all of her hard work.”

In what is now her fourth year with the Ole Miss women’s golf team, Chiara Tamburlini has cemented herself as an influential figure both on and off the course for the Rebels in her time in Oxford as she was named the 2023 SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Academically, Tamburlini has garnered a 3.97 cumulative GPA as she aims to graduate Summa Cum Laude later this May with her bachelor’s in finance, as well as a minor in mathematics.

The St. Gallen, Switzerland, native has also been recognized as a 2023 Taylor Medal nominee. The Taylor Medal serves as the highest academic honor conferred by the University of Mississippi and it is only awarded to less than one percent of the Ole Miss student body on an annual basis. The medal is awarded to students who are nominated for outstanding scholarship in their particular field combined with superior work in all other subjects. To be eligible, a student must have a GPA of 3.90 or higher and completed at least 105 hours of overall course credit.

Tamburlini has received countless academic accolades over her four years with the Rebels from the university, the SEC and the WGCA. These honors include being named the first Rebel to ever receive the Edith Cummings Munson Golf Award in 2022, which is awarded to the person who…