Schiavone Wins WGCA Kim Moore Spirit Award

Ole Miss senior Stani Schiavone was named the 2015 winner of the Women’s Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) Kim Moore Spirit Award. Schiavone was announced as the winner on Tuesday on the Golf Channel during the opening round of match play at the NCAA Championship. Schiavone is the first Ole Miss player ever awarded the Kim Moore Spirit award.

Stani Schiavone won the Women’s Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) Kim Moore Spirit Award.
Photo courtesy of Joshua McCoy/Ole Miss Athletics.

The award is dedicated to Kim Moore, who played golf for the University of Indianapolis (1999-2003).  Kim was an inspiration to all as she persevered through many physical challenges while playing collegiate golf.  Her positive outlook and dedication toward the game was only out done by her sense of humor and passion for the game.

The purpose of the award is to recognize and honor a student-athlete or coach who exemplifies a great spirit toward the game of golf, a positive attitude on and off the golf course, a role model for her team and mental toughness in facing challenges.

“It is such an honor to get this award,” said Schiavone. “I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish any of my golf or academic goals without my teammates, coaches and family. They have been my constant support system and have allowed me to flourish on the course and in the classroom and I appreciate their support throughout my collegiate career.”

Schiavone, a Bangor, Pennsylvania native, started her college career at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, but her freshman year was anything but perfect. She lost three of the most important people in her life and golf career within weeks of each other. Unfortunately, the difficulties didn’t stop there. Within months of transferring to the University of Mississippi, Schiavone started having back problems and it was discovered that she had a ruptured disc and that surgery was the best option. She underwent surgery to correct her disc and then rehabbed to be ready to go in the spring.

The culmination of Schiavone’s road back was her taking medalist honors at the Samford Intercollegiate this spring, highlighted by a career-low round of 65 in the third and final round. This spring she led her Ole Miss squad to its first tournament win since 2008 by winning the Samford Intercollegiate and has been Ole Miss’ low score leader in four tournaments this season.

Golf is very important for Schiavone, but the idea of being a student-athlete is equally as important and an arena in which she has flourished. She is a two-time Women’s Golf Coaches Association All-American Scholar Athlete.  Schiavone, who is majoring in mathematics education, earned the University of Mississippi’s Taylor Medal this spring. The Taylor Medal is the highest academic honor a student can receive at Ole Miss and is awarded to less than one percent of students at Ole Miss.

About the Women’s Golf Coaches Association
The Women’s Golf Coaches Association, founded in 1983, is a non-profit organization representing women’s collegiate golf coaches. The WGCA was formed to encourage the playing of college golf for women in correlation with a general objective of education and in accordance with the highest tradition of intercollegiate competition. Today, the WGCA represents over 500 coaches throughout the U.S. and is dedicated to educating, promoting and recognizing both its members and the student-athletes they represent.

Keep up with the Ole Miss women’s golf team throughout the summer on OleMissSports.com.  For all Ole Miss women’s golf news and information, go to OleMissSports.com, and follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissWGolf and on Facebook at Ole Miss Women’s Golf.

Courtesy of Ole Miss Sports Information