April 19, 2008

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - UNLV rookie Therese Koelbaek was named the Mountain West Conference Women's Golf Freshman of the Year on Saturday, following the 2008 MWC Championships, played at The Championship Course.

Koelbaek, who tied for fourth at this year's league tournament, also earned All-MWC honors, and she was joined on the team by teammate Natasha Krishna, the second consecutive time she has made the all-league squad.

"I am really excited for Therese," UNLV head coach Missy Ringler said. "When I recruited her to UNLV, I knew she was a special player. She has shown that in every tournament this season and she deserves this honor."

Koelbaek led the MWC in scoring average this season with a 73.96 and the freshman earned her first victory at the USF/Richmond Country Club Invitational. She shot a 2-over-par 215 to take the win, finishing four strokes better than the second-place finisher. She also had top-five finishes at the UNLV Spring Invite and the Indiana Invitational to go with her placing at the MWC Championships.

Koelbaek is the third Rebel to win the award, joining Sunny Oh (2003) and Da Sol Chung (2006).

New Mexico sophomore Jodi Ewart and TCU sophomore Valentine Derrey were named the Co-Players of the Year, and New Mexico head coach Jill Trujillo was selected the Coach of the Year.

MWC Award WinnersCoach of the Year: Jill Trujillo, New MexicoCo-Players of the Year: Jodi Ewart, New Mexico; Valentine Derrey, TCUFreshman of the Year: Therese Koelbaek, UNLV

All-Conference TeamJuli Erekson, BYUNatalia Jimenez, BYUMikaela Backstedt, New MexicoBritney Choy, New MexicoJodi Ewart, New MexicoValentine Derrey, TCUTherese Koelbaek, UNLVNatasha Krishna, UNLV