COLUMBUS, Ga. — A pair of Stanford women's golfers have been named Fall Finalists for the 2024 ANNIKA Award, announced on Thursday morning. Megha Ganne and Paula Martin Sampedro were selected based on their performances during the fall season.
Ganne was a preseason watch list selection for the ANNIKA Award and remains on the list after another strong opening to the season. She won her first collegiate tournament at the season-opening Carmel Cup, shooting a career-best 15-under over three rounds, including a 6-under 66 in the first round. Her 201 helped Stanford win the Carmel Cup for the second season in a row. She also finished tied for second at the East Lake Cup and propelled the Cardinal to the championship match after beating Zoe Slaughter of Texas A&M in 22 holes in match play.
Martin Sampedro has burst onto the scene as a freshman as one of the most consistent golfers in the country. She has finished inside the top-10 at every tournament this season, with her worst finish being a seventh-place finish at the Stanford Intercollegiate. She has met par or better in all but two rounds in 2023 and leads the Cardinal lineup with an average round of 70.2. Her best work came at the Stephens Cup, where she finished tied for fourth overall and won in match play to help Stanford secure a third-place finish.
In recent years, the ANNIKA Award has been heavily decorated in Cardinal and White. Rose Zhang won the award the past two seasons, while Rachel Heck was named the recipient in 2021. The award is presented annually following the NCAA Championships. In the spring, the ANNIKA Award will narrow its finalists down to ten.
Created in 2014, the ANNIKA Award presented by Stifel is annually given to the top female Division 1 collegiate golfer; the winner voted on by players, coaches, and members of the college golf media. Named for Annika Sorenstam, the award was created in partnership with the Haskins Foundation to acknowledge the top female golfer and to match the Haskins Award presented by Stifel, which acknowledges the top male Division I collegiate golfer.
Stifel, one of the nation's leading wealth management and investment banking firms, serves as the presenting sponsor of both the ANNIKA and Haskins Awards, recognizing annually the most outstanding NCAA Division I female and male college golfers. Stifel also serves as a presenting sponsor for the NCAA Division I Women's and Men's Golf Championships on GOLF Channel.