Michigan State University Athletics
Trio of Spartans Earn All-Big Ten Honors
4/28/2021 1:12:00 PM | Women's Golf
EAST LANSING – Three members of the Michigan State women's golf team have garnered All-Big Ten accolades, the conference office announced on Wednesday. Valery Plata was voted to the All-Big Ten First Team, while Paz Marfa Sand and Yurika Tanida were both named to the All-Big Ten Second Team. All three Spartans played a significant role in leading Michigan State to the Big Ten title this past weekend.
Plata was the Spartans' top finisher in five of eight tournaments this season and placed in the top three of three of those events. After taking second place, and leading MSU to the team title at the IU Spring Challenge (April 5-6), Plata tied for medalist honors the following weekend at the Indiana Invitational at 4-under-par 212. At last weekend's Big Ten Championships, Plata shot 4-under-par 68 in both of the last two rounds to tie for second place individually. Plata also took home the conference's Mary Fossum Award for lowest stroke average to par (-0.57), becoming the first Spartan to win the honor since Sarah Burnham in 2018.
Plata leads MSU with a 72.0 season scoring average. Over the last three tournaments, in which she placed in the top three of each, Plata has a 70.2 average. The native of Floridablanca, Colombia has recorded a team-high 10 rounds under par this year, including career-best 65 at the IU Spring Challenge.
It's the second straight year Plata has earned All-Big Ten First Team honors.
Marfa Sans is now a four-time All-Big Ten honoree. The graduate student is coming off an eighth-place finish at last weekend's Big Ten Championship where she carded her best round of the tournament on Sunday with a 2-under-par 70.
Marfa Sans finished in the top 10 in four of eight tournaments, including in each of the last three. Her best finish of the year came at the IU Spring Challenge where she took sixth place. The native of Barcelona, Spain has a 73.75 scoring average and has recorded five rounds under par so far this season.
Marfa Sans was also the Spartans' winner of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award. The student-athletes chosen are individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. In addition, the student-athletes must be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting.
Tanida is earning All-Big Ten accolades for the third time in her career. The senior posed a 73.38 scoring average and has finished in the top five twice so far this season. She was MSU's top finisher, taking sixth place at 2-under-par 214, in helping lead the Spartans to their first tournament win of the season at the FAU Paradise Invitational in February.
In April, Tanida tied for third, again at 2-under-par 214, as the Spartans captured the IU Spring Challenge title. The native of Kanagawa, Japan has recorded five rounds under par this year.
2021 BIG TEN WOMEN'S GOLF ALL-CONFERENCE AND INDIVIDUAL AWARD WINNERS
Big Ten Golfer of the Year: Irene Kim, Northwestern
Big Ten Freshman of the Year: Monet Chun, Michigan
Big Ten Coach of the Year: Diana Cantu, Maryland
ALL-BIG TEN FIRST TEAM
Virunpat Olankitkunchai, Maryland
Laura Van Respaille, Maryland
Monet Chun, Michigan
Ashley Lau, Michigan
Valery Plata, Michigan State
Kate Smith, Nebraska
Irene Kim, Northwestern
Aneka Seumanutafa, Ohio State
ALL-BIG TEN SECOND TEAM
Tristyn Nowlin, Illinois
Crystal Wang, Illinois
Xiaolin Tian, Maryland
Hailey Borja, Michigan
Paz Marfa Sans, Michigan State
Yurika Tanida, Michigan State
Kelly Sim, Northwestern
Thitapa Pakdeesettakul, Purdue
SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD HONOREES
Tristyn Nowlin, Illinois
Angela Aung, Indiana
Morgan Goldstein, Iowa
Laura Van Respaille, Maryland
Ashley Lau, Michigan
Paz Marfa Sans, Michigan State
Grace Curran, Minnesota
Megan Whittaker, Nebraska
Brooke Riley, Northwestern
Kristin Jamieson, Ohio State
Megan McLean, Penn State
Kan Bunnabodee, Purdue
Maeve Rossi, Rutgers
Bobbi Stricker, Wisconsin
Plata was the Spartans' top finisher in five of eight tournaments this season and placed in the top three of three of those events. After taking second place, and leading MSU to the team title at the IU Spring Challenge (April 5-6), Plata tied for medalist honors the following weekend at the Indiana Invitational at 4-under-par 212. At last weekend's Big Ten Championships, Plata shot 4-under-par 68 in both of the last two rounds to tie for second place individually. Plata also took home the conference's Mary Fossum Award for lowest stroke average to par (-0.57), becoming the first Spartan to win the honor since Sarah Burnham in 2018.
Plata leads MSU with a 72.0 season scoring average. Over the last three tournaments, in which she placed in the top three of each, Plata has a 70.2 average. The native of Floridablanca, Colombia has recorded a team-high 10 rounds under par this year, including career-best 65 at the IU Spring Challenge.
It's the second straight year Plata has earned All-Big Ten First Team honors.
Marfa Sans is now a four-time All-Big Ten honoree. The graduate student is coming off an eighth-place finish at last weekend's Big Ten Championship where she carded her best round of the tournament on Sunday with a 2-under-par 70.
Marfa Sans finished in the top 10 in four of eight tournaments, including in each of the last three. Her best finish of the year came at the IU Spring Challenge where she took sixth place. The native of Barcelona, Spain has a 73.75 scoring average and has recorded five rounds under par so far this season.
Marfa Sans was also the Spartans' winner of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award. The student-athletes chosen are individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. In addition, the student-athletes must be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting.
Tanida is earning All-Big Ten accolades for the third time in her career. The senior posed a 73.38 scoring average and has finished in the top five twice so far this season. She was MSU's top finisher, taking sixth place at 2-under-par 214, in helping lead the Spartans to their first tournament win of the season at the FAU Paradise Invitational in February.
In April, Tanida tied for third, again at 2-under-par 214, as the Spartans captured the IU Spring Challenge title. The native of Kanagawa, Japan has recorded five rounds under par this year.
2021 BIG TEN WOMEN'S GOLF ALL-CONFERENCE AND INDIVIDUAL AWARD WINNERS
Big Ten Golfer of the Year: Irene Kim, Northwestern
Big Ten Freshman of the Year: Monet Chun, Michigan
Big Ten Coach of the Year: Diana Cantu, Maryland
ALL-BIG TEN FIRST TEAM
Virunpat Olankitkunchai, Maryland
Laura Van Respaille, Maryland
Monet Chun, Michigan
Ashley Lau, Michigan
Valery Plata, Michigan State
Kate Smith, Nebraska
Irene Kim, Northwestern
Aneka Seumanutafa, Ohio State
ALL-BIG TEN SECOND TEAM
Tristyn Nowlin, Illinois
Crystal Wang, Illinois
Xiaolin Tian, Maryland
Hailey Borja, Michigan
Paz Marfa Sans, Michigan State
Yurika Tanida, Michigan State
Kelly Sim, Northwestern
Thitapa Pakdeesettakul, Purdue
SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD HONOREES
Tristyn Nowlin, Illinois
Angela Aung, Indiana
Morgan Goldstein, Iowa
Laura Van Respaille, Maryland
Ashley Lau, Michigan
Paz Marfa Sans, Michigan State
Grace Curran, Minnesota
Megan Whittaker, Nebraska
Brooke Riley, Northwestern
Kristin Jamieson, Ohio State
Megan McLean, Penn State
Kan Bunnabodee, Purdue
Maeve Rossi, Rutgers
Bobbi Stricker, Wisconsin
Players Mentioned
Tuesday, May 20
Monday, February 10
Tuesday, October 01
Tuesday, May 21