SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – South Dakota State senior McKenzie Mages was named the 2026 Summit League Women’s Golfer of the Year, while Jackrabbit head coach Ericka Schneider earned Coach of the Year honors, the League announced Tuesday.
North Dakota State’s Jeri Lafleche was selected as the Summit League Newcomer of the Year after a standout debut season for the Bison to round out individual awards.
Mages captured the league’s top individual honor following a historic season that included claiming the 2026 Summit League individual championship and leading SDSU to the first Summit League team title in program history. The honor marked the first time a Jackrabbit golfer earned Golfer of the Year accolades since 2021. The Sioux Falls, S.D., native also paced the league in scoring average during the 2025-26 campaign with a 73.3 scoring average.
The senior was SDSU’s top finisher at every tournament this season, including a tie for 22nd at the NCAA Stanford Regional. Mages collected six top-10 finishes overall, highlighted by three individual victories during the year.
Schneider guided the Jackrabbits to one of the most successful seasons in program history, culminating in the program’s first-ever Summit League tournament championship. Under her direction, SDSU posted a 299.8 team scoring average across 32 rounds during the 2025-26 season.
The Coach of the Year honor marked the first of Schneider’s career and the first in South Dakota State program history.
Lafleche turned in an impressive freshman campaign at NDSU, recording a 76.3 scoring average across 26 rounds while earning Summit League All-Freshman Team honors. The Winnipeg, Manitoba, native became the first Bison golfer to earn Newcomer of the Year accolades since teammate Madi Hicks captured the award in 2023.
The freshman registered three top-10 finishes on the season, including a pair of top-five performances, and closed the year with back-to-back top-five finishes. Lafleche also posted the top finish among freshmen at the Summit League Championship, carding a 54-hole total of 220 (+7) to place fourth overall.
The three individual awards are voted on by the league’s head coaches.
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