Leigha Devine, Xavier Marcoux Receive Big Ten Outstanding Sportsmanship Award

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Leigha Devine (women’s golf) and Xavier Marcoux (men’s golf) both represent Rutgers as winners of the Big Ten Outstanding Sportsmanship Award, announced this week by the conference office.

One member of each varsity sports team on every campus was chosen by his or her institution as a Sportsmanship Award honoree throughout the year, and two Outstanding Sportsmanship Award winners were then selected from each institution. All of the Sportsmanship Award winners have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. In addition, these honorees must be in good academic standing and must have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting.

LEIGHA DEVINE

Devine wrapped up her career as a Scarlet Knight by leading women’s golf to the greatest season in program history and breaking numerous individual records in the process. A team captain and native of Windsor, Colorado, Devine led RU to a program-best t-11th finish at Big Ten Championships and a postseason invite to the National Golf Invitational Championship, the first national postseason invitation in program history. In the event, Devine paced the team with a fourth-place finish and helped Rutgers secure the team title. In addition to all she did to help the team achieve success in 2023-24, Devind was named the team’s Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honoree. 

Individually, Devine rewrote the Scarlet Knight record books with her 2023-24 season. She set program records for single-season scoring average (+1.21), single-season rounds of par or better (18), low round to par (-7, Westbrook Invitational), 54-hole scoring (-11, Westbrook Invitational), single-season birdies (114), single-season eagles (3), single-season par-4 scoring (4.1), single-season par-5 scoring (4.87), career scoring average (+2.89), career birdies (311), career eagles (5) and career rounds of par or better (36).

XAVIER MARCOUX 

A three-time team captain of the men’s golf team and native of Concord, Massachusetts, Xavier Marcoux wrapped up his RU career with the honor of Golf Coaches Association of America’s All-PING Northeast team and help lead the Scarlet Knights a No. 1 ranking in the northeast region for the second straight season and third time in four years.

On the course, Marcoux started every event during his time as a Scarlet Knight. He won the 2022 Old Town Collegiate and was awarded Big Ten Men’s Golfer of the Week. He was named to the 2021-22 PING…