HONOLULU – The University of Hawai'i women's golf team celebrated its 2014-15 season – both on the course and in the classroom – with its annual end of season awards dinner, Wednesday, May 6 at Murphy's Bar and Grill.
 
Among the highlights of the evening was the recognition of the team's major awards. For the second straight year, sophomore Izzy Leung received the Most Valuable Player Award after leading the squad with a 75.38 scoring average. The Shatin, Hong Kong native was the team's top finisher in seven of the 10 tournaments and posted her first career collegiate victory at the season-opening Oregon State Invitational after firing 1-under 215.
 
The Most Improved Player Award has given to sophomore Raquel Ek, who finished the year with a 76.1 scoring average after sporting a 77.3 average last season. The San Diego, Calif., native was UH's top finisher in two events including at the Big West Conference Championship, where she placed runner-up with a 3-under 213 total and led the Rainbow Wahine to a second place team finish.
 
Freshman Lauren Kirkwood received the Wahine "Spirit" Award as the team's Most Inspirational Player and sophomore Brianna Becker earned the team's Top Scholar Athlete Award for her 3.6 cumulative grade point average.
 
Four members of the squad –Kirkwood, Marie Donnici, and Daezsa Tomas and student assistant Liana Otake – finished the fall semester with grade point averages of 4.0 and were honored at the Straight A's Dinner.  
 
In addition, eight of the nine were recognized as UH Scholar-Athletes. Sophomore Brianna Becker and junior Nichole Cruz received the "Scholar Athlete with Highest Honor" with GPAs of 3.51 or higher. Donnici, Kirkwood, Otake, and sophomore Kelli-Anne Katsuda received "Scholar Athlete with Honor" recognition after posting GPAs between 3.21-3.5 while Ek and Tomas sported GPAs of 3.0-3.2 and were awarded as "Scholar Athlete."
 
Earlier this spring, the Big West Conference announced its Commissioner's Honor Roll and five UH golfers were recognized – Becker and Cruz (Highest Honor), Katsuda (Honors), and Ek and Tomas (Commissioner's Honors).
 
Finally, freshmen Kirkwood and Donnici received the team's Letterwinner's Award for participating in 25 percent of the scheduled tournaments; had no unexcused absences from any team practice, function, or conditioning; and by coaches' recommendation.
 
UH's runner-up finish at the Big West Championships was its highest placement at a conference tournament since the 2010 squad was runner-up at the Western Athletic Conference Championship. The team's 887 total was the best three-round score in school history. Following the tourney, the Big West announced its all-conference awards and Leung was selected second-team all-Big West while Ek was honorable mention.