Duke freshman Rianne Malixi was tabbed the WGCA Freshman of the Year, it was announced Wednesday.
The former U.S. Amateur and U.S. Girls’ Junior champion had one of the best season in Duke history. After a slow start, Malixi heated up as the year went on, culminating in a solo third finish at the 2026 NCAA Women’s Golf Championship.
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On the season, Malixi had a 70.61 stroke average – the second-lowest in school history – one win, five top-5 finishes, 18 rounds of even or under par, 10 rounds in the 60s and seven top-20 finishes in eight tournaments. At NCAAs, she became only the second Blue Devil to notch three straight rounds in the 60s.
Under coach Dan Brooks, Malixi is the fifth player to earn WGCA Freshman of the Year honors, behind Beth Bauer (1998-99), Brittany Lang (2003-04), Amanda Blumenherst (2005-06) and Leona Maguire (2014-15).
Malixi was a finalist for the 2026 Annika Award and finished the season ranked sixth in the NCAA golf rankings.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Duke’s Rianne Malixi named 2026 WGCA Freshman of the Year
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