Three members of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women’s golf team were recognized as the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference announced its 2017 All-Conference Women’s Golf Team.

Sophomores Ashley Hofmeister became the first ever student-athlete in Whitewater’s history to earn WIAC Player of the Year honors, and CheyAnn Knudsen earned first team All-WIAC honors in just her first year with the program.

“They’re both really steady players that don’t make a lot of mistakes,” head coach Andrea Wieland said. “Both are highly skilled D-III players.”

Junior Maddie McCue was also named to the second team All-WIAC, the third Warhawk to earn all-conference honors, the most in the program’s history since 2001.

Hofmeister, Knudsen and McCue were all pivotal in the Warhawks WIAC Conference Championship on Oct. 6-8 at Reedsburg Country Club. Knudsen and Hofmeister finished first and second, respectively, for the tournament, with scores of 233 and 234. McCue’s score of 236 was good enough for a tie for fourth place, the third top-five finisher for Whitewater.

The first-place finish with a score of 942 was the team’s’ best 54-hole score in school history, giving the Warhawks an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

With Knudsen conference title this fall, it marks the first time UW-Whitewater has ever had back-to-back conference champions since 1996-97. She also contributed five top 10 finishes during her first season as a Warhawk (previously attended Carthage College) and hopes to continue her success in the spring.

“My goal is to win nationals”, Knudsen said. “I am working with my swing coach to develop a repeatable, smooth swing and hopefully that will propel me. I am not used to winning, I usually finish second or third, so I’m working on believing that I am a good player.”

Hofmeister won three tournaments during this fall season.