CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. — Crystal Wang was named to the 2022-23 Division I PING WGCA Player of the Year Watch List, the organization announced today.
Wang wrapped up her record-setting season on May 10 at the NCAA San Antonio Regional with a tied for 20th finish. She fired a tournament total of 222 (+6) to finish the season with a program-record scoring average of 70.42, shattering the previous mark by nearly two strokes (Grace Park, 72.16, 2017-18). The Diamond Bar, Calif., native also set a program record for lowest-career stroke average at 72.37.
Wang became the first Illini Big Ten medalist since head coach Renee Slone (formerly Heiken) earned honors in 1993, firing a final round 62, the lowest round at a conference championship tournament in NCAA history, at Fox Chapel Golf Club in Pittsburgh. She won the individual title by 12 strokes as the only player to finish under par. She was also named the Mary Fossum Award winner, posting the lowest stroke average relative to par (-1.45) for the season. Wang also became first Illinois golfer to be named Big Ten Golfer of the Year since Slone won the award in 1993.
Wang also earned All-Big Ten First Team honors for the second-straight year and for the third time overall in her career. She has finished in the Top 10 in eight off 12 tournaments this season, including six Top 5 finishes.
The now Illinois alumna also participated in the August National Women’s Amateur (ANWA) for the second-straight year and made the cut for the final round played at Augusta National. Wang finished tied for 14th in the event and vaulted into the Top 100 in the PGA Women’s Amateur rankings for the first time in her career.
Wang will be back in action on June 8 as she competed for Team USA at the 2023 Arnold Palmer Cup, hosted at Laurel Valley Golf Club in Ligonier, Pa.
About the Women’s Golf Coaches Association
The Women’s Golf Coaches Association, founded in 1983, is a non-profit organization representing women’s collegiate golf coaches. The WGCA was formed to encourage the playing of college golf for women in correlation with a general objective of education and in accordance with the highest tradition of intercollegiate competition. Today, the WGCA represents over 650 coaches throughout the U.S. and is dedicated to educating, promoting and recognizing both its members and the…
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