DeKALB, Ill. – Northern Illinois University women's golf head coach Kim Kester was named the Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year and MAC Champion Jasmine Ly earned first team All-MAC honors as the league announced its 2022 women's golf award winners Thursday.
 
After sharing MAC Coach of the Year honors with former Kent State head coach Lisa Strom last season, Kester added to her legacy as the only NIU women's golf coach to earn the award by being recognized by her fellow coaches as the lone recipient in 2022. The Michigan native is completing her 10th season leading the NIU women's golf program in 2022.  
 
Kester's Huskies repeated as MAC runner ups in last week's tournament at Stone Oak Country Club in Toledo, Ohio as NIU placed second to perennial champion Kent State by 18 strokes and were 19 strokes in front of third place Akron.

"My name is on the award, but it's not about me, it's [Associate head coach] Andrew [Frame], it's the team, it's all of us," Kester said. "We wouldn't have the success we've had if we didn't have everyone working together.  I'm honored that the other MAC coaches selected me, and it shows that our peers are recognizing the success we have here and what we're building, but it's definitely about all of us. We couldn't do [what we've done] without the facilities we have at Rich Harvest Farms and Kishwaukee Country Club and the Chessick [Practice Center] and the support of the donors, the administration and everyone at NIU."
 
Ly, who became the first Huskie to win the MAC Championship and advance to the NCAA Women's Golf Regionals, is just the second NIU player selected to the All-MAC first team all-time. She joins 2021 All-MAC first team honoree Lauren Ingle as the Huskies have now had a first team player in back-to-back years. Ly's scoring average of 73.52 breaks the school record for single season scoring average set by Ingle a year ago (74.05). She has eight Top 10 finishes in 10 tournaments this season. Her career scoring average of 74.64 in 67 rounds is one full stroke below Ingle's current NIU career record mark of 75.65 in 99 rounds.
 
"Jaz is very deserving of this honor," Kester said. "She's relentless in how hard she works. She has goals she wants to accomplish, and she is going to do it.  She's definitely a special person and golfer, and we're excited for her to get this recognition on top of everything else this week with winning the MAC and heading to the NCAA Regionals."
 
Ly will compete as an individual in the NCAA Ann Arbor Regional at the University of Michigan Golf Course May 9-11.  To see the complete All-MAC team and postseason award winners, go to MAC-sports.com.
 
NIU's second place finish at the MAC Championships was the team's fifth consecutive top three placing with three Huskies finishing in the Top 10 at the event.
 
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