FORT MYERS, Fla. –
Lousiane Gauthier was named Golfer of the Year and
Shannon Sykora was named Coach of the Year as the Atlantic Sun Conference announced its awards for the 2024-25 women's golf season. The announcement was made Tuesday morning by the league office in Jacksonville.
In addition to the Golfer of the Year recognition, Gauthier earned ASUN First Team accolades.
Amelie Alcantara and
Posie Farrelly were each named to the ASUN Second Team, with
Islay Benoit earning an ASUN All-Freshman Team nod.
"Our team has put in a great effort on and off the course," said Sykora, who earned his first ASUN Coach of the Year recognition. "We've had a lot of team success and a lot of individual success. I'm proud of each of our players for receiving this recognition."
A native of Canelones, Uruguay, Gauthier has set an FGCU record for most tournament wins in a season with four. Her most recent victory came last week in the ASUN Championships, where she was the only player in the field to shoot even par over the three rounds. Her birdie on the 18th hole in the final round moved the Green and Blue into a tie with Stetson for the team crown, which FGCU won on the fourth playoff hole to clinch the program's first ASUN Championship.
Gauthier earned wins in back-to-back tournaments in the fall, taking the individual crown at the Pat Bradley Invitational Sept. 30-Oct. 1 by a stroke and helping the Eagles to their second team championship of the season. In FGCU's next event, the junior paced the field at the Diamante Intercollegiate Oct. 20-22. In the final round, Gauthier carded a 65 (-7) to win the tournament by two shots and help FGCU to a win by three over Boston College.
At the start of the spring, Gauthier was named the co-champion of the Sea Best Invitational Jan. 27-28. She carded a final round score of 69 (-3) to rally for the win.
In all, Gauthier has an adjusted stroke average of 72.3 this season. Her five career collegiate tournament wins are the most in FGCU women's golf history.
"Lou has had an outstanding junior campaign," said Sykora. "Winning four times, including the conference championship, is something that's never been done before."
Sykora has guided the Eagles to five team titles in 2024-25, a new program record. The team has an overall scoring average of 281.2, which would be a program record if the season ended today. The team's seven rounds under par are also a new program record.
Alcantara started the year on the right foot for the Eagles, winning the Johnie Imes Invitational as an individual to help the Eagles win the team title in the first event of the year. Alcantara's victory sparked the Eagles to a 46-1 mark in the fall with three team tournament wins and three individual wins. The junior from Ocala had four finishes in the top 10 of events this season for the Eagles. She has an adjusted scoring average of 74.0 entering the NCAA Regionals.
Farrelly saved her best golf toward the end of the season. She finished third at the Spring Break Shootout March 17-18, helping the Eagles to their fourth team championship of the season. The Lutz native earned ASUN Co-Player of the Week honors for her performance. In the ASUN Championship, the senior finished ninth, going two-under-par over her final four holes of regulation to help FGCU get into a playoff. Farrelly has an adjusted scoring average of 73.8 this season.
Benoit played in every tournament for the Eagles in 2024-25. She started her career with a fifth-place finish at the Johnie Imes and followed it up with an even-par performance at the Pat Bradley. Six times, the freshman from Pensacola finished in the top 20 on the individual leaderboard. She has an adjusted stroke average of 75.1.
The Eagles will return to the course May 5-7 at the NCAA Regionals. FGCU will find out its destination during the NCAA Women's Golf Selection Show Wednesday at 1 p.m. on the Golf Channel.
