INDIANAPOLIS – University of Missouri-St. Louis senior
Emma Thorngren has been voted the Great Lakes Valley Conference Player of the Year, while
Linn Thornqvist was tabbed the GLVC Freshman of the Year, as announced today by the league office.
Per Conference policy, each of the top-five finishers at the GLVC Championship automatically earn an All-League nod, with the remaining five competitors and major award winners voted on by the 15 head coaches.
Thorngren, a five-time All-GLVC selection, was voted Player of the Year after earning medalist honors at the GLVC Championship on April 25. She is the first non-UIndy student-athlete to be named Player of the Year in eight years, and the first from UMSL since Daniella Viotti in 2011. Thorngren's 72.95 average round topped the GLVC this spring, while her 66 at the Natural State Golf Classic in Cabot, Ark., from March 1-2, was also a season best. The Vreta Kloser, Sweden, product won a total of three individual titles in seven tournaments this spring, never finishing lower than third. She also earned GLVC Player of the Week honors four times this season, including back-to-back wins on April 9 and 15. Thorngren is ranked eighth in the Golfstat Division II player rankings and is competing at the NCAA DII Women's Golf Championship this week.
Thornqvist was named Freshman of the Year, after averaging 77.22 per round this spring and finishing ninth at the GLVC Championship last month. Like Thorngren, Thornqvist is the first UMSL player since Daniella Viotti in 2011 to earn the league's top freshman honor and third overall in program history. The Korpvagen, Sweden, native placed in the top five at three tournaments this season, including a runner-up finish at the Triton Invitational from April 11-12. Thornqvist was also named to the 10-player All-GLVC team, marking the first time since 2019 the Tritons have had multiple student-athletes selected.
Additionally, junior
Sophie Faulkner was one of 15 student-athletes named as their team's James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Award honoree for distinguishing themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. These individuals are also in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports competition setting. They are now eligible to become one of their school's two Spalding Sportsmanship Award winners, which will be announced at the end of the academic year.
UMSL earned runner-up honors at the GLVC Championship and was selected to the program's 11
th straight NCAA Regional.
A complete list of All-GLVC performers and major postseason award winners can be found below.
GLVC Player of the Year:
Emma Thorngren, Sr., Missouri-St. Louis
GLVC Freshman of the Year:
Linn Thornqvist, Missouri-St. Louis
GLVC Coach of the Year: Brent Nicoson, Indianapolis
All-GLVC Women's Golf
Jennifer Queller, Jr., Illinois Springfield
Pilar Echeverria, Gr., Indianapolis
Cailyn Henderson, Jr., Indianapolis
Anna Kramer, Sr., Indianapolis
Hunter Nugent, So., Indianapolis
Elyse Stasil, Jr., Indianapolis
Josefina Haupt, Gr., Lindenwood
Carmen Villaverde, Gr., Maryville
Emma Thorngren, Sr., Missouri-St. Louis
Linn Thornqvist, Fr., Missouri-St. Louis
2021 GLVC JAMES R. SPALDING SPORTSMANSHIP NOMINEES
Serena Berrey, DU
Ocean Pangan, UIS
Pilar Echeverria, UINDY
Sarah Breslin, LEWIS
Lacey Shierl, LWU
Brittany King, MU
Brooke Boatman, MCK
Karson Kimsey, S&T
Sophie Faulkner, UMSL
Ashlyn Sanders, QU
Emma Mullendore, RU
Brooke Moser, USI
Makenna Krysl, SBU
Katie Gastrau, TSU
Kelsi Schmitz, WJC
2021 GLVC JAMES R. SPALDING SPORTSMANSHIP TEAM AWARD
Maryville