NAPERVILLE, Ill. - The College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin doled out its end-of-year specialty awards, as the Illinois Wesleyan University women's golf team swept all three honors as announced by the league office Thursday, May 14. It is the second time the program has swept all three honors since the awards began in 2023-24.
Sophomore Gigi Zera (Glenview, Ill.-Loyola Academy) was named CCIW Women's Golfer of the Year, while freshman Julia Henry (Homewood, Ill.-Homewood-Flossmoor) earned CCIW First-Year Women's Golfer of the Year. Head coach Craig Onsrud and staff reeled in CCIW Coaching Staff of the Year honors.
Zera is the third consecutive Titan to earn the honor since the CCIW began giving out the award three seasons ago. In 10 events this season, Zera has a team-best stroke average of 76.8, improving on her freshman season average of 77.4. The sophomore has four top-five finishes, including a win at the Division II SMSU Classic March 16-17 with a two-day career-best total of 145. At the CCIW Championships in October, Zera finished in a tie for third place individually, helping the Titans reach their fourth consecutive team championship.
Henry has a season stroke average of 79.5 and has played in 10 events for the Titans in her freshman campaign. She finished third at the CCIW Championship with scores of 75-77-75. Henry's third-place finish matches Zera's from 2024 as the lowest by an Illinois Wesleyan freshman at the league championship. Henry is the second Titan to win the award, joining Emily Gastrau from the 2023-24 season.
Head women's golf coach Craig Onsrud and staff, in his second season leading the program, earned the second consecutive Coaching Staff of the Year award. It is the 15th total honor given to the Illinois Wesleyan staff since the league began handing out the award in 2002. Onsrud and staff led IWU to a 43-stroke victory at the CCIW Championship, one of three tournament wins for the Titans this season. Illinois Wesleyan won the IWU Fall Classic Sept. 13-14 for the first time in the 25-year history of the event. Onsrud also led the Green and White to a win at the SMSU Classic in Arizona March 16-17.
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