Castle Named All-SEC First Team, UK Women’s Golf’s First Since ‘89

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Continuing to raise the standard in the Kentucky women’s golf program, freshman Jensen Castle made history Thursday by landing on the All-Southeastern Conference First Team.
 
A season after Leonie Bettel became UK’s first All-SEC selection since 1997, Castle marks UK’s first All-SEC First Team pick since Cindy Mueller in 1989, when there was just one All-SEC team.
 
Castle was one of eight players chosen for the All-SEC First Team. She was also selected to the SEC All-Freshman Team, just the third in program history and the first since Haley Mills in 2014.
 
“I am absolutely thrilled that Jensen is receiving these awards and I am so excited for her,” UK head coach Golda Borst said. “She has earned every bit of this and is one of the hardest workers and strongest competitors we have ever had. This is only the beginning for her. She has only scratched the surface for how good she can become.”
 
In addition to Castle, sophomore Casey Ott was named to the annual SEC Community Service Team for her leadership and dedication to helping others.
 
Castle is the 11th all-time Wildcat to earn All-SEC selection (13 total honors) but the first to do so as a freshman.
 
Of course, it should come as no surprise that Castle made awards history after a record-setting season statistically. Castle set Kentucky’s new single-season scoring average with 71.88 strokes per round, besting Leonie Bettel’s mark of 73.16. Despite the shortened season, Castle met the school-record qualifications in the official records with 17 rounds. The minimum is 15.
 
A finalist for the Arnold Palmer Cup, Castle posted two top-10 showings in her first collegiate season and finished in the top 20 in all but one of her six appearances.
 
In her college debut, Castle tied for third while leading the team to a championship at the Minnesota Invitational with key birdies over her final nine holes. Castle would also play an important role in the Bettie Lou Evans Invitational, helping UK to its first back-to-back team titles since the 1990-91 season. Castle also placed fifth in the runner-up showing at the Cardinal Cup later in the fall.
 
The Wildcats used 15 of her 17 rounds played towards the team score, and she fired 11 rounds of par or better. Had the season not been cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, Castle would have likely made a run at the school record of 14, set last season by Bettel.
 
Castle finished the season ranked No. 53 in the Golfstat rankings while UK finished No. 25 in the team rankings, the best finish of the 10-year Borst era.
 
Castle certainly lived up to her reputation as the highest rated signee in school history. In addition to 2019 Rolex Junior All-America First Team honors by the American Junior Golf Association and numerous top finishes at elite national tournaments, Castle was a two-time individual state champion in high school, winning once at the 3A level and once at 5A. In 2018, she dominated the South Carolina Class 3A state championship with a 137, winning by 10 shots while setting the two-day state tournament record.
 
She also won the South Carolina 5A state title in 2016 at White Knoll High School, where she led the team to a state runner-up finish. Castle owns the nine- 18- and 36-hole school records at White Knoll, was a five-time All-State selection, a five-time All-Region pick (including one year on the boys’ team) and a three-time member of the Can-Am Junior Team.
 
Ott made the SEC Community Service Team for the first time in her career after displaying exemplary leadership off the course. Among the areas where Ott has provided a helping hand:

• Participated in a UK Athletics service trip to Ethiopia where she, along with other Wildcats, helped construct housing, delivered beds and mattresses, served food to orphans, and delivered hygiene supplies
• Frequent volunteer at the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge, including baking cookies for residents and participating in a tree lighting ceremony during the holidays
• Annual participant in the UK’s God’s Pantry program to help pack and distribute lunches to students across the city
• Bell ringing for the Salvation Army during the holiday season to raise money for homeless families
• Read Across America participant
• Went bowling with Special Olympics athletes over the winter
• Breakfast with Santa volunteer

Ott did all that while enjoying a breakout season on the course. She was Kentucky’s most improved player statistically this season, shaving off 2.2 strokes from her freshman season stroke average to her sophomore season.
 
Averaging 73.8 strokes per round, Ott led the team with three top-10 finishes to go along with six rounds of par or better.
 
At the Ruth’s Chris Tar Heel Invitational, where she tied for ninth place, Ott carded a career-low 66 in the second round en route to a 54-hole career-best score of 213 (3-under par).
 
The annual SEC Community Service Team recognizes the superior community service efforts of the league’s student-athletes. The SEC Community Service Team consists of one student-athlete from each SEC institution, as nominated by the school’s personnel. The SEC names a community service team for each of its 21 league-sponsored sports.
 
Ingrid Lindblad from LSU was named the SEC Player of the Year as well as SEC Freshman of the Year. Ole Miss’ Kory Kenkes won SEC Coach of the Year. SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year will be announced at a later time.
 
For the latest on the Kentucky women’s golf team, follow the team on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, as well as on the web at UKathletics.com.
 
ALL-SEC First Team
Ingrid Lindblad, LSU
Kaleigh Telfer, Auburn
Julia Johnson, Ole Miss
Ashley Gilliam, Mississippi State
Pauline Roussin-Bouchard, South Carolina
Megan Schofill, Auburn
Jensen Castle, Kentucky
Kenzie Wright, Alabama
 
ALL-SEC Second Team
Kennedy Swann, Ole Miss
Addie Baggarly, Florida
Caterina Don, Georgia
Auston Kim, Vanderbilt
Ela Anacona, Arkansas
Nicole Whiston, Tennessee
Latanna Stone, LSU
Ana Pelaez, South Carolina
 
Coach of the Year
Kory Henkes, Ole Miss
 
Player of the Year
Ingrid Lindblad, LSU
 
Freshman of the Year
Ingrid Lindblad, LSU
 
All-Freshman Team
Ashley Gilliam, Mississippi State
Megan Schofill, Auburn
Caterina Don, Georgia
Ingrid Lindblad, LSU
Jensen Castle, Kentucky
Pauline Roussin-Bouchard, South Carolina
Ela Anacona, Arkansas
Andrea Lignell, Ole Miss
Nicole Whiston, Tennessee
Latanna Stone, LSU
 
Community Service Team
Carolina Caminoli, Alabama
Julia Dean, Arkansas
Mychael, O’Berry, Auburn
Lauren Waidner, Florida
Kelsey Kurnett, Georgia
Casey Ott, Kentucky
Monica Dibildox, LSU
Conner Beth Ball, Ole Miss
Ela Grimwood, Mississippi State
Julia Bower, Missouri
Smith Knaffle, South Carolina
Wavery Whiston, Tennessee
Courtney Dow, Texas A&M
Abbey Carlson, Vanderbilt