FARMINGTON, Utah (March 25, 2021) – Northern Arizona golf junior
Aleksandra Chekalina became the third Lumberjack this season to earn Big Sky Women's Golfer of the Week on Thursday, following her fourth-place finish at the Red Rocks Invitational over the weekend.
For the two-time all-conference honoree, it is her third career Golfer of the Week award. She joins fellow juniors
Ashley Croft and
Elle Kocourkova to receive the honor this season, marking the first time since the 2014-15 season that NAU had three different Golfers of the Week.
Chekalina led the 'Jacks with a fourth-place finish last weekend at NAU's Red Rocks Invitational at Oakcreek Country Club in Sedona. After shooting 74-75 in the first two rounds, the third-year Lumberjack from Moscow, Russia equaled her second-lowest round of her career with a 3-under par 69 on Sunday. It was the first round in the 60s by a Lumberjack this spring, and it tied the tournament's sixth-lowest round ever.
Chekalina birdied five of her last seven holes, propelling her to a fourth-place individual finish at 2-over par 218 (74-75-69). It was her second-best career finish only behind a third-place finish last season at the Hobble Creek Fall Classic.
Chekalina was the highest placing Big Sky golfer at the tournament, featuring seven total conference teams including NAU. With Chekalina leading the way, NAU's fifth-place team finish also led the conference. The Lumberjacks were three strokes better than the Big Sky preseason No. 1 Sacramento State, and also handed the Hornets their first head-to-head tournament loss to a conference team since 2018.
Overall, Chekalina tied her season-best with 10 birdies in the tournament. Earlier this month, she also recorded 10 birdies at the GCU Invitational.
The Lumberjacks will return to the links on April 5-6 in Maricopa, Ariz. at the Wyoming Cowgirl Classic at Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club.
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