Michigan State University Athletics
Seven Spartans Named WGCA Scholar All-Americans
7/13/2026 3:26:00 PM | Women's Golf
East Lansing, Mich. – Seven members of the Michigan State women's golf team have been named Women's Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) All-American Scholars.
The Spartans recognized were rising senior Ana Sofia Murcia, rising junior Grace Vetter, rising sophomores Sarisa Pojanalai and Lucia Valderrama, as well as recent graduates Paula Balanzategui, Shannon Kennedy and Taylor Kehoe.
The criteria for selection to the All-American Scholar Team are some of the most stringent in all of college athletics as the minimum cumulative GPA for garnering the honor is 3.50.
The seven golfers selected set a program record for most named to the WGCA All-American Scholars list, breaking the mark of six in each of the previous four years. Michigan State was just one of four schools nationally to have at least seven golfers selected.
This marks the fifth-straight year the women's golf program has had at least six golfers selected to the WGCA list.
Balanzategui closed her career at MSU with her fourth All-American Scholar honor, while Kehoe and Kennedy earned their third recognition.
All seven student-athletes were part of a Michigan State team that helped to cap off another successful season for the Spartans. MSU posted eight top-5 team finishes during the season, including five during the spring portion and won the Carolina Challenge Cup. The Spartans finished the season ranked No. 38 in the country, advanced to the NCAA Regionals for the 10th-straight year and the 26th time in the 27 years since 1999 and finished in third place to reach the NCAA Championships for the fourth-straight year and the five time in the last six years. The Spartans have made 18 trips to the NCAA Championships, including 16 under head coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll.
The Spartans recognized were rising senior Ana Sofia Murcia, rising junior Grace Vetter, rising sophomores Sarisa Pojanalai and Lucia Valderrama, as well as recent graduates Paula Balanzategui, Shannon Kennedy and Taylor Kehoe.
The criteria for selection to the All-American Scholar Team are some of the most stringent in all of college athletics as the minimum cumulative GPA for garnering the honor is 3.50.
The seven golfers selected set a program record for most named to the WGCA All-American Scholars list, breaking the mark of six in each of the previous four years. Michigan State was just one of four schools nationally to have at least seven golfers selected.
This marks the fifth-straight year the women's golf program has had at least six golfers selected to the WGCA list.
Balanzategui closed her career at MSU with her fourth All-American Scholar honor, while Kehoe and Kennedy earned their third recognition.
All seven student-athletes were part of a Michigan State team that helped to cap off another successful season for the Spartans. MSU posted eight top-5 team finishes during the season, including five during the spring portion and won the Carolina Challenge Cup. The Spartans finished the season ranked No. 38 in the country, advanced to the NCAA Regionals for the 10th-straight year and the 26th time in the 27 years since 1999 and finished in third place to reach the NCAA Championships for the fourth-straight year and the five time in the last six years. The Spartans have made 18 trips to the NCAA Championships, including 16 under head coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll.
Players Mentioned
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