FAYETTEVILLE – After a stellar first semester of playing collegiate golf, Maria José Marin has earned her way on the final fall watch list for the 2023-24 ANNIKA Award presented by Stifel. José Marin is one of 20 watch list recipients for the Player of the Year in women’s collegiate golf, making her way on after not being on the initial list released at the start of the season. This marks the 10th year of the award.
José Marin will look to be the second Hog to win the award, as Maria Fassi was the ANNIKA Award winner in back-to-back years in 2018 and 2019. Becoming the fifth Hog since 2017-18 to make an ANNIKA Award Watch List, past watch list names include Fassi (15 times), Dylan Kim (seven times), Brooke Matthews (twice) and Alana Uriell (seven times).
After the three tournaments in the fall, José Marin leads the team in several statistical categories, including scoring average (69.25), rounds at par or under (7), rounds in the 60s (4) and birdies (38). As Arkansas men’s and women’s golf swept all awards at the 2023 Blessings Collegiate Invitational, José Marin won the individual medalist title on the women’s side, logging her first career win in just her second ever collegiate tournament behind a 10-under 134 (67-67), as the third round was cancelled due to weather. The freshman was the Carmel Cup Runner-Up with an 11-under 205 (67-70-68) and has finished within the top 12 in all three tournaments thus far.
José Marin is a two-time SEC Freshman of the Week recipient and currently stands as the No. 19 golfer in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, with her highest ranking coming at No. 18 this year. The Cali, Colombia product was one of 72 amateurs in the world to receive an invite to play at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and she has countless amateur victories, including the 2023 Mexican Women’s Amateur by four strokes.