HARRISONBURG, Va. – The Virginia women’s golf program captured three major awards to highlight the 2021-22 VaSID (Virginia Sports Information Directors) Women’s Golf University Division honors, as announced by the organization on Friday (July 1).

Virginia freshman Amanda Sambach (Pinehurst, N.C.) took home both VaSID Co-Player of the Year honors and the VaSID Rookie of the Year nod in her first collegiate campaign, while Old Dominion senior Jana Melichova was also named VaSID Co-Player of the Year and Virginia head coach Ria Scott was named VaSID Coach of the Year.

Sambach was stellar in her freshman season, earning honorable mention All-America honors by the Women’s Golf Coaches Association. She finished 31st at the 2022 NCAA Championships. Her stroke average of 72.85 led Virginia on the year and is the lowest scoring average by a freshman in program history.

Scott guided Virginia to a 15th-place finish at the 2022 NCAA Championships and a top-10 spot in the GolfStat rankings for much of the season. In addition to four runner-up finishes during the season, including at the NCAA Ann Arbor Regional, the Cavaliers saw an ACC-best five players named to the ACC All-Academic Team as Virginia posted a perfect APR score.

Sambach and Melichova were joined on the All-State First Team by Jennifer Cleary (Virginia), Beth Lillie (Virginia) and Emily Mahar (Virginia Tech). Becca DiNunzio (Virginia Tech), Sarah Houle (William & Mary), Kendall Turner (James Madison), Celeste Valinho (Virginia) and Rory Weinfurther (Richmond) were all named Second Team All-State.

VaSID names 44 all-state teams in 23 sports each year, an Academic All-State squad and an all-sports champion in both the University and College Divisions. Membership in VaSID is open to all media relations professionals working at a university or conference in Virginia.

2021-22 VaSID Women’s Golf University Division
Co-Player of the Year: Amanda Sambach, Virginia
Co-Player of the Year: Jana Melichova, Old Dominion
Rookie of the Year: Amanda Sambach, Virginia
Coach of the Year: Ria Scott, Virginia 

First Team
Jennifer Cleary, Virginia
Beth Lillie, Virginia
Emily Mahar, Virginia Tech
Jana Melichova, Old Dominion
Amanda Sambach, Virginia

Second Team
Becca DiNunzio, Virginia Tech
Sarah Houle, William & Mary
Kendall Turner, James Madison
Celeste Valinho, Virginia
Rory Weinfurther, Richmond