Latest news with #BigTens
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Florida State's Mirabel Ting wins Annika Award as top NCAA DI women's player
CARLSBAD, Calif. – Mirabel Ting wasn't sure if she'd win the Annika Award. With an NCAA-best five individual titles this season, plus no finishes worse than sixth, Ting was the unquestioned top-ranked player in women's college golf. But the player-of-the-year honor, which is presented by Stifel Financial and voted on by players, coaches, SIDs, media members and former Annika recipients, had two other worthy candidates any other year in Oregon's Kiara Romero, who had just won Big Tens and her NCAA regional, and Ting's teammate and world No. 1 Lottie Woad, who only boasted two wins but didn't have a finish worse than third entering the NCAA Championship. Advertisement But when Ting, the lovable junior from Malaysia, was officially presented with the honor at Omni La Costa, she couldn't wipe the grin off her face. She joins past Annika winners such as Rose Zhang, Leona Maguire, Maria Fassi and last year's recipient Ingrid Lindblad. 'Everyone on this trophy, they're all pretty successful and on the LPGA tour, and I'm just hoping to be like them one day,' said Ting, who came runner-up to Arkansas' Maria Jose Marin in the NCAA individual competition, which wrapped Monday. Ting's transformation has been remarkable. She was a 17-year-old freshman at Augusta University when two months into her college career she learned of the death of her father, Thomas, from a heart attack. Ting left school twice that fall to return home, not playing until the spring, where she won once and posted five more top-7 finishes. Advertisement When she transferred to Florida State that summer, she was then ruled ineligible due to her missing the deadline by a day. The news devastated the already shy and immature Ting, but by the spring, she was cleared and over the past year-plus Ting has blossomed both on the golf course and off it. Her sense of humor is unmatched at this level, and that self-deprecating nature has proven that she's now more confident than ever. That's translated to what Florida State head coach Amy Bond has called the 'season of a lifetime.' 'When I first stepped into the U.S., it was kind of scary because I was all alone, my parents were half a world away,' Ting said. 'But I just told myself that if I could just practice hard and be successful, one day I'll be able to help out my family, help out my friends and that's what I'm trying to do, make everyone proud at home.' Ting added that Bond has pushed her further than she'd ever thought. Having Woad on her team certainly has inspired her practice. And a switch last winter to instructor Kris Assawapimonporn, who works with LPGA star Jeeno Thitikul and has totally revamped Ting's putting. Advertisement 'She's always been a naturally gifted ball-striker, probably the best I've ever seen,' Bond said of Ting. 'And now, she's making the putts on top of it. I mean, holy cow.' After a television interview with Golf Channel and some photos with her new hardware, Ting was asked to write a letter to herself in 10 years and slip it into the Annika trophy, which doubles as a time capsule. In true Ting fashion, she revealed, 'I did that two months ago.' 'That's Mirabel,' Bond said, laughing. But there were still two more surprises. First, the major invitation into this summer's Evian Championship. Upon hearing about the exemption, Ting, who plans to turn pro after NCAAs, started balling. Bond quickly walked over and wrapped her arms around Ting, then she said, 'Mirabel, you still have to play golf today.' Ting wiped her tears and smiled. Then came the final gift: A two-liter bottle of Coke. Knowing Mirabel, that might've been the greatest of all.
NBC Sports
20-05-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Florida State's Mirabel Ting wins Annika Award as top NCAA DI women's player
CARLSBAD, Calif. – Mirabel Ting wasn't sure if she'd win the Annika Award. With an NCAA-best five individual titles this season, plus no finishes worse than sixth, Ting was the unquestioned top-ranked player in women's college golf. But the player-of-the-year honor, which is presented by Stifel Financial and voted on by players, coaches, SIDs, media members and former Annika recipients, had two other worthy candidates any other year in Oregon's Kiara Romero, who had just won Big Tens and her NCAA regional, and Ting's teammate and world No. 1 Lottie Woad, who only boasted two wins but didn't have a finish worse than third entering the NCAA Championship. But when Ting, the lovable junior from Malaysia, was officially presented with the honor at Omni La Costa, she couldn't wipe the grin off her face. She joins past Annika winners such as Rose Zhang, Leona Maguire, Maria Fassi and last year's recipient Ingrid Lindblad. 'Everyone on this trophy, they're all pretty successful and on the LPGA tour, and I'm just hoping to be like them one day,' said Ting, who came runner-up to Arkansas' Maria Jose Marin in the NCAA individual competition, which wrapped Monday. Ting's transformation has been remarkable. She was a 17-year-old freshman at Augusta University when two months into her college career she learned of the death of her father, Thomas, from a heart attack. Ting left school twice that fall to return home, not playing until the spring, where she won once and posted five more top-7 finishes. When she transferred to Florida State that summer, she was then ruled ineligible due to her missing the deadline by a day. The news devastated the already shy and immature Ting, but by the spring, she was cleared and over the past year-plus Ting has blossomed both on the golf course and off it. Her sense of humor is unmatched at this level, and that self-deprecating nature has proven that she's now more confident than ever. That's translated to what Florida State head coach Amy Bond has called the 'season of a lifetime.' 'When I first stepped into the U.S., it was kind of scary because I was all alone, my parents were half a world away,' Ting said. 'But I just told myself that if I could just practice hard and be successful, one day I'll be able to help out my family, help out my friends and that's what I'm trying to do, make everyone proud at home.' Ting added that Bond has pushed her further than she'd ever thought. Having Woad on her team certainly has inspired her practice. And a switch last winter to instructor Kris Assawapimonporn, who works with LPGA star Jeeno Thitikul and has totally revamped Ting's putting. 'She's always been a naturally gifted ball-striker, probably the best I've ever seen,' Bond said of Ting. 'And now, she's making the putts on top of it. I mean, holy cow.' After a television interview with Golf Channel and some photos with her new hardware, Ting was asked to write a letter to herself in 10 years and slip it into the Annika trophy, which doubles as a time capsule. In true Ting fashion, she revealed, 'I did that two months ago.' 'That's Mirabel,' Bond said, laughing. But there were still two more surprises. First, the major invitation into this summer's Evian Championship. Upon hearing about the exemption, Ting, who plans to turn pro after NCAAs, started balling. Bond quickly walked over and wrapped her arms around Ting, then she said, 'Mirabel, you still have to play golf today.' Ting wiped her tears and smiled. Then came the final gift: A two-liter bottle of Coke. Knowing Mirabel, that might've been the greatest of all.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
MEN'S COLLEGE GOLF: Illini claim regional title, qualify for NCAA Championships
URBANA — Home sweet home. For the seventh time in program history, the Illinois Fighting Illini men's golf team has won an NCAA Regional tournament, but this time, that honor came on their home golf course at the Atkins Golf Club in Urbana. Advertisement 'It was a good week, successful week,'' said Illinois golf coach Mike Small, a native of Danville and a member of the Vikings 1981 state championship team. Technically, Illinois, ranked No. 14 in the country, tied with second-ranked Oklahoma State for the team title as both schools finished the three-day tournament with scores of 15-under 837. The Cowboys actually overcame a three-shot deficit entering Wednesday's final round and the Illini still had that three-shot lead entering Wednesday's final three holes, but five bogeys on the closing holes allowed Oklahoma State to pull even with Illinois. 'Today, we didn't finish that well either,'' said Small, noting that Illinois saw the Big Ten Championships fade away on the final holes two weeks ago. 'But, we didn't finish well all week on 16, 17, 18. I think we gave away five shots coming in.'' Advertisement But, tying for first and qualifying for the NCAA Championships at La Costa Golf Club in Carlsbad, Calif on May 23 is still a step in the right direction for Small. 'We haven't won a big, significant event all year,'' said Small as Illinois won only the Memphis Intercollegiate this spring, while taking second at Big Tens to go with a couple of thirds at the Purdue Invitational and the Haskins Invitational. 'We beat some really good teams this week. 'We are getting better, but we are still making some mistakes. I see stretches of good play, but I also see us get in our way at times.'' All seven NCAA Regional titles for Illinois have come since 2013 with Small as the head coach, and the seven regional championships for Small rank tied for third in NCAA history with former Clemson head coach Larry Penley, just one off the lead shared by Texas coach John Fields and Oklahoma State coach Alan Bratton. Advertisement Individually, Michigan's Hunter Thompson claimed the regional title with a 10-under 203, while Illinois junior Ryan Voois tied for second at 9-under 204. Voois had back-to-back rounds of 4-under 67 on Tuesday and Wednesday for the Illini. 'It was special,'' Voois said of playing the NCAA Regional at Atkins Golf Club. 'We were wondering how many people would come out and it was nice to have all that support.'' And was it an advantage? 'It's a huge advantage if you take advantage of it the right way,'' he said. 'Knowing the golf course and all the shots is definitely helpful, but you have to approach it the right way.'' Advertisement Illinois senior Jackson Buchanan, who shot a course-record 8-under-63 on Monday, finished in a tie for 5th at 6-under 207. Also qualifying for the NCAA Championships from the Urbana Regional were UNLV, Troy and Texas Tech. The Illinois State Redbirds finished in 10th with a three-day score of 15-over 867. Former Illini TJ Barger was the top scorer for Illinois State, with a three-day score of 2-over 215.
