The Dalton State College women’s golf team might have come up short on a quest for a fourth straight Southern States Athletic Conference title this week, but the Lady Roadrunners did pick up some conference honors.
After the conclusion of the SSAC tournament — Dalton State finished third — the individual conference awards were announced for the 2023-24 season, and a Northwest Whitfield High School graduate and Dalton State freshman was among the honorees.
Former Class 4A high school state champion Sara Burger was named the SSAC Women’s Golf Freshman of the Year. Burger earned the award by tallying a 75.5 scoring average across 22 rounds played in the season. Burger finished 11th individually in the SSAC Championship.
William Carey coach Jeff Mixon was named coach of the year, and William Carey’s Nichakorn Prapsiproom earned player of the year. The Crusaders took the SSAC championship this season, ending Dalton State’s reign of three straight titles. Point’s Sydney Ormsby was the newcomer of the year.
Burger was the only Dalton State participant to win one of the named awards presented by the SSAC, but several earned all-conference honors.
Burger, Sydney Hermann and Mailey Buzzell were all named first team all-conference, meaning three members of the seven-person team hailed from Dalton State. Jia Kataria and Hanna Bullard were named to the second team, and Burger and Kataria were on the all-freshman team.
Buzzell was part of the “Champions of Character” squad in the conference, while Buzzell, Bullard and Ella Cress were tabbed to the all-academic team.