FARMINGTON, Utah (April 16, 2021) – The Northern Arizona golf team placed a league-high tying four golfers on the 2021 Big Sky All-Conference teams announced on Friday. Freshman
Ekaterina Malakhova led the Lumberjacks' four honorees as one of five golfers on the All-Big Sky First Team.
NAU's junior class of
Aleksandra Chekalina,
Ashley Croft and
Elle Kocourkova each garnered their third career all-conference honor. Chekalina and Croft, both of whom were named to the Third Team each of the last two seasons, were named to the Second Team, while Kocourkova was honored on the Third Team.
Malakhova is the first NAU golfer to earn All-Big Sky First Team honors since
Sofia Anokhina in 2018. She also became the first Lumberjack freshman on the First Team since Savana Bezdicek in 2013.
Following two top 10 individual finishes in her last three tournaments, Malakhova has lowered her scoring average to a team-best 75.17. Malakhova leads the team in top 10 finishes (2), top 20 finishes (3) and par or better rounds (5).
She heads into next week's Big Sky Championship on the heels of her best showing of the season, tying for eighth at the Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational where she shot 1-over par 217 (71-71-75). Malakhova also owns a 10th-place finish at the Red Rocks Invitational last month.
Chekalina and Croft are second and third on the team in scoring average at 75.50 and 75.61 respectively. Both Lumberjacks have earned Big Sky Golfer of the Week honors this spring with Chekalina most recently garnering the award after her fourth-place finish at the Red Rocks Invitational.
Chekalina was sensational, concluding the tournament with a 3-under par 69 en route to recording NAU's best individual finish of the season. She finished the tournament at 2-over par 218 (74-75-69) with her final round being her third par or better this season.
Croft opened the spring with a team-leading performance in a tie for 12th at the Rebel Beach Invitational, which earned her the season's first Golfer of the Week award. Croft has shot twice a season-best 7-over par 223 with a low round of 1-over par 73, recorded four times most recently earlier this week at the Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational.
Kocourkova was an All-Big Sky Third Team selection this spring after holding a spot on the honorable mention list the last two seasons. Kocourkova is fourth on the team in scoring average at 76.72 and is tied with Chekalina for second with three rounds of par or better.
Kocourkova turned in the team's lowest 54-hole score of the season at the Arizona Wildcat Invitational, tying for 13th with a career-best even-par 216 (72-74-70). She was awarded Big Sky Golfer of the Week after her performance in Tucson.
Led by Jennifer Koga, the Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year, Sacramento State also had four golfers honored by the conference. The Hornets are the defending Big Sky Champions going into the conference tournament.
The 2021 Big Sky Championship begins next Monday at Arrowhead Golf Club in Molalla, Ore. and continues through Wednesday.
To stay up to date with the NAU golf team, follow the Lumberjacks on
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