Pac-12’s Best In 2023 – Stanford University Athletics

STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford was well represented among the Pac-12’s annual year-end conference awards, with Rose Zhang repeating as Golfer of the Year and Megha Ganne honored as Freshman of the Year.

Stanford has delivered four straight Pac-12 Golfer of the Year recipients, with Zhang winning in back-to-back seasons and following Rachel Heck (2021) and Albane Valenzuela (2019).

Ganne becomes the fourth Freshman of the Year honoree, joining Zhang (2022), Heck (2021) and Andrea Lee (2017).

Zhang not only cemented her legacy as the greatest player in conference history, but produced arguably the most decorated amateur career in the history of collegiate golf. Zhang elected to turn pro on May 26 following two dynamic seasons (2022-23) on The Farm.

Joining UCLA’s Bronte Law (2015-16) as the only repeat Pac-12 Golfer of the Year and one of three two-time recipients overall, Zhang’s resume of wins, awards and scoring records stands out in comparison to her predecessors.

In just 20 collegiate events over her two seasons, Zhang delivered a school-record 12 victories, matching Arizona’s Lorena Ochoa (2001-03) for the most in conference women’s golf history. Only Arizona State’s Phil Mickelson finished with more, claiming 16 titles from 1988-92.

As a sophomore in 2023, Zhang won a staggering 8-of-10 events, becoming only the fourth woman to sweep through the postseason with record-setting Pac-12 and NCAA Regional crowns and an unprecedented NCAA title defense. Zhang’s eight single-season wins tied her for the most in women’s collegiate golf history and matched Tiger Woods (1995-96) for the most in school history.

A two-time NCAA individual champion – the first female to accomplish the feat – Zhang twice set the NCAA single-season scoring average record, with a 68.81 sophomore-season scoring average besting a 69.68 freshman average. A two-time First Team WGCA All-American, Zhang also established the NCAA career scoring average record with a 69.24 average in 62 career rounds.

In addition to finishing her career as a two-time ANNIKA Award recipient, Zhang was also a two-time WGCA Golfer of the Year, becoming the first repeat honoree since Duke’s Amanda Blumenherst in 2008.

On April 19, 2023, Zhang reached 136 consecutive weeks as the world’s leading female amateur golfer, surpassing the previous record of 135 set by Leona Maguire of the Republic of Ireland in 2018.

Ganne enjoyed a consistently strong rookie campaign, helping Stanford maintain its No….