CLAREMONT, Calif. - Kate Keith of the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's golf team was one of 14 players selected to the Women's Golf Coaches Association Division III National Player of the Year Watchlist, the organization announced today. 

Keith was also just one of seven players named to the National Freshman of the Year Watchlist, while first-year head coach Lexi Nielsen earned one of 23 spots on the National Coach of the Year Watchlist. 

Keith finished the fall season at No. 4 in the Clippd individual computer rankings with an adjusted scoring average of 70.44, after taking first place in her first two tournaments, earning a -3 at the California State Intercollegiate, hosted by Cal Lutheran, and a -3 at the Hollins Cup, hosted by UC Santa Cruz. 

Nielsen is in her first season with the Athenas after previously serving as an assistant coach at Long Beach State, which achieved record-setting team and individual success over the last three years. The 2024 team won the Big West Conference Championship by 23 strokes, earning the first back-to-back championships in program history and setting a program record for lowest championship score (-25).

CMS finished eighth at the NCAA Division III Championships which it hosted a year ago, marking its eighth straight top-10 finish, including a national title in 2018 and third-place finishes in 2022 and 2024.