ANNIKA Award: Final fall watch list for 2022-23 women’s college golf season

As the fall season winds to a close, it’s time to recognize players who set themselves apart as frontrunners in women’s college golf over the past two and a half months.

Rose Zhang, who won the award as a freshman at Stanford last season, is off to an excellent start this year, but plenty of others are making their case early, like Andrea Lignell at Ole Miss, among many others.

The ANNIKA Award honors the player of the year in college women’s golf, as selected by college golfers, coaches and members of the college golf media. The players are listed alphabetically. Players on the ANNIKA Award Watch List were selected by a panel of Golfweek and Golf Channel reporters.

Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings: Women’s team | Women’s individual

Amari Avery, USC

USA team member Amari Avery hits a drive during a practice round at the 2022 Curtis Cup at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa. on Wednesday, June 8, 2022. (Chris Keane/USGA)

Avery picked up where she left off last season, winning the Windy City Collegiate. She also tied for 14th at the Stephens Cup.

Jenny Bae, Georgia

Jenny Bae makes birdie on the 18th hole during the first round of stroke play at the 2021 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Westchester Country Club in Rye, N.Y. on Monday, Aug. 2, 2021. (Darren Carroll/USGA)

Bae won the Illini Invitational, finished tied for second at the Mason Rudolph Championship and T-10 at the Cougar Classic.

Carolina Lopez-Chacarra, Wake Forest

Teams participate at the Wake Forest Bryan National Collegiate at the Bryan Park Champions Course on Monday, September 27, 2021 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Wake Forest Athletic Communications)

Lopez-Chacarra has been one of multiple big pieces for Wake Forest this season. She tied for third at the Stephens Cup, tied for fourth at the Mercedes Benz Intercollegiate and also had a T-19.

Hannah Darling, South Carolina

South Carolina’s Hannah Darling. (Photo: South Carolina Athletics)

Darling has been spectacular, finishing second at the Windy City Collegiate, T-3 at the Stephens Cup and T-5 at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate.

Sadie Englemann, Stanford

Sadie Englemann of Stanford tees off on the 9th hole during round four of the NCAA Division 1 Women’s Golf Championships at Grayhawk Golf Club. (Photo: Alex Gould/The Republic)

One of the numerous stars for the Cardinal, Englemann finished T-4 at the Carmel Cup and followed that up with a T-8 at the Stephens Cup.

Rachel Heck, Stanford

Team USA player Rachel Heck signs an autograph during Four-Ball Matches at the 2022 Curtis Cup at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa. on Friday, June 10, 2022. (Chris Keane/USGA)

Heck, the 2021 NCAA individual champion, is another star for Stanford. This season, she has finished T-3 at the Stephens Cup and T-13 at the Carmel Cup.

Rachel Kuehn, Wake Forest

Rachel Kuehn. (Photo: Wake Forest Women’s Golf)

One of the best women’s amateurs in the world, Kuehn is a stalwart for the Demon Deacons. This season, she won the Stephens Cup, tied for second at the Mercedes Benz Intercollegiate and has a T-10 and T-12.

Andrea Lignell, Ole Miss

Andrea Lignell after winning the 2022 The Ally. (Photo: Ole Miss Women’s Golf)

Lignell has been one of the best golfers in the country to begin the season. She won the Cougar Classic and The Ally and finished runner-up at the Blessings Collegiate.

Ingrid Lindblad, LSU

Ingrid Lindblad, of Sweden, watches her ball off the sixth tee during the first round of the U.S. Women’s Open golf tournament at the Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club in Southern Pines, N.C. on Thursday, June 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Another one of the best women’s amateurs in the world, Lindblad has a T-7 at the Mason Rudolph Championship and a T-8 at the Stephens Cup.

Julia Lopez Ramirez, Mississippi State

Julia Lopez Ramirez won the Blessings Collegiate. (Photo: Mississippi State Athletics)

Lopez Ramirez won her fourth collegiate event at the Blessings Collegiate and also has a pair of T-4 finishes at the Carmel Cup and Mason Rudolph Championship.

Jennie Park, Texas A&M

Texas A&M women’s golfer Jennie Park. (Photo: Texas A&M Athletics)

Park has been strong for the Aggies. She finished third at the Carmel Cup, fifth at the “Mo”Morial Invitational and T-11 at the Blessings Collegiate.

Tunrada Piddon, UCF

UCF women’s golfer Tunrada Piddon. (Photo: UCF Athletics)

Piddon has been strong for UCF this fall. She won the Mercedes Benz Intercollegiate, finished T-4 at the Cougar Classic and T-7 at the Blessings Collegiate.

Amanda Sambach, Virginia

Virginia’s Amanda Sambach with Annika Sorenstam after winning the 2022 ANNIKA Intercollegiate at the Royal Golf Club in Elmo, Minnesota. (Photo: Taylor Britton/ANNIKA Foundation)

Sambach recorded her first college victory at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate, tied for seventh at the Mercedes Benz Intercollegiate and T-19 at the Windy City Collegiate.

Megan Schofill, Auburn

Megan Schofill, Auburn

Schofill has continued her strong play for the Tigers. This fall, she won the Mason Rudolph Championship, tied for fourth at the Illini Invitational and tied for 17th at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate.

Kayla Smith, North Carolina

North Carolina women’s golfer Kayla Smith. (Photo: UNC Athletics)

Smith won the “Mo”Morial Invitational and has finished tied for eighth at the Tar Heel Invitational and Ivy Intercollegiate.

Chiara Tamburlini, Ole Miss

Ole Miss golfer Chiara Tamburlini. (Photo: Ole Miss Athletics)

Tamburlini has also been strong for the Rebels. She finished tied for third at the Blessings Collegiate and tied for 10th at The Ally.

Lauren Walsh, Wake Forest

Wake Forest’s Lauren Walsh hits a tee shot during the second round of the ANNIKA Intercollegiate at Royal Golf Club in Lake Elmo, Minnesota. (Photo: Taylor Britton, ANNIKA Foundation)

Walsh has been big for Wake Forest. She tied for second at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate, T-4 at the Tar Heel Invitational and T-8 at the Stephens Cup.

Crystal Wang, Illinois

Illinois’ Crystal Wang. (Photo: Craig Pessman/Illinois Athletics)

Wang finished second at the Illini Invitational and also had a T-5 at the Schooner Fall Classic and a T-13 at the Cougar Classic.

Lottie Woad, Florida State

Lottie Woad of Farnham poses with The Girls’ Amateur Championship trophy during Day Seven of The Girls’ Amateur Championship at Carnoustie Golf Links on August 14, 2022 in Carnoustie, Scotland. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)

Woad tied for medalist honors at the Ivy Intercollegiate and also finished T-4 at the Cougar Classic and eighth at the Schooner Classic.

Rose Zhang, Stanford

Stanford’s Rose Zhang wins the individual title at the 2022 NCAA Championship. (Photo: Darren Reese/Stanford)

The best women’s amateur in the world, Zhang had a record-setting victory at the Carmel Cup and finished tied for 12th at the Stephens Cup.