Maria Garcia Named Mountain West Golfer and Freshman of the Month

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – New Mexico’s Maria Garcia was named the Mountain West Women’s Golfer and Freshman of the Month for October, conference officials announced Tuesday. Garcia was honored for a month that featured two top-five performances.

Garcia becomes the first player in four years to win both the conference’s golfer and freshman of the month/week awards at the same time. It is her second straight Freshman of the Month award as she becomes the just the third Lobo freshman to be named Mountain West Golfer of the Month, joining Kailin Downs (2001-02) and Mikaela Backstedt (2005-06).

Garcia opened the month with a T-4th finish at the Ron Moore Intercollegiate in Denver. She shot 5-under at the event, highlighted by a second-round 67, the lowest round ever by a UNM freshman and the fourth-best single round in program history. Garcia posted her best finish at the Jim West Challenge in Texas to conclude the fall season, shooting 207 to finish T-2nd. It was the lowest 54-hole score by a Lobo freshman and one shot off New Mexico’s overall school record. In between the two top-fives, at the NB3 Match Play, playing against Stanford, Texas and New Mexico State, she played three All-Americans, earning a draw against Stanford’s 2024 second-team All-American Kelly Xu.

The Lobos begin the spring season in February at the San Diego State Classic.