Wake Forest Athletics
Kovelesky and Pate Named to Preseason ANNIKA Watch List
8/27/2026 12:17:00 PM | Women's Golf
Kovelesky and Pate enter their junior and senior seasons this upcoming year.
COLUMBUS, Ga. – Senior Macy Pate and junior Chloe Kovelesky have been named to the ANNIKA Award Preseason Watch List, as announced by the organization this Thursday.
Pate enters the 2026-27 season as the lone senior on the squad, with veteran experience under her belt. The two-time All-American led the team in 2025-26 with a 70.1 adjusted scoring average, marking the lowest of her career. She ended the season ranked No. 21 on Scoreboard, the highest ranked among the Wake Forest squad.
The three-time All-ACC Team member earned a career-low 54-hole score of 202 at the Stephens Cup, with season-low rounds of 67 during both round one and three of the tournament. Additionally, the two-time ANWA invitee placed in the top-15 or better in 5 of 7 tournaments during the regular season, followed by top-25 finishes at the ACC Championship and NCAA Regionals.
Now beginning her junior year as a Demon Deacon, Kovelesky finished her sophomore season with four top-10 finishes, four top-5, and second career-title as a co-medalist at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate. That following weekend, the Boca-Raton, Fla.-native turned in career-low 54-hole and 18-hole scores at the Stephens Cup, to tie for second.
The two-time All-American kicked off her postseason going nine-under at the 2026 ACC Championship to earn third place medalist honors. Kovelesky's overall score of 207 tied third in program history for the lowest 54-hole score to par at the championship.
Both Deacs' success this past year saw them join Team USA at the 2026 Arnold Palmer Cup and compete in the U.S. Women's Amateur this past August.
Wake Forest begins the 2026-27 season this September at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate, where previously they swept team and individual honors to open the 2025-26 slate.
The ANNIKA Award is presented annually to the top Division I women's golfer. Previous finalists from Wake Forest include Jennifer Kupcho (2017, 2018, 2019) and Rachel Kuehn (2024), however the award has yet to be won by a Demon Deacon.
2026-2027 ANNIKA Award Preseason Watch List (listed alphabetically):
Vanessa Borovilos, Texas A&M
Pinky Chaisilprungruang, Charlotte
Anna Davis, Auburn
Eunseo Choi, Pepperdine
Paula Francisco, Florida
Sophia Fullbrook, Florida State
Eila Galitsky, South Carolina
Veronika Kedronova, Kent State
Lauren Kim, Texas
Jasmine Koo, USC
Chloe Kovelesky, Wake Forest
Marie Madsen, NC State
Rianne Malixi, Duke
Maria Jose Marin, Arkansas
Paula Martin Sampedro, Stanford
Farah O'Keefe, Texas
Meja Örtengren, Stanford
Macy Pate, Wake Forest
Cayetana Fernández García-Poggio, Texas A&M
Prim Prachnakorn, Oregon
Andrea Revuelta, Stanford
Patience Rhodes, Arizona State
Bailey Shoemaker, USC
Marta Silchenko, Oklahoma State
Avery Weed, Mississippi State
About the ANNIKA Award presented by Stifel:
Pate enters the 2026-27 season as the lone senior on the squad, with veteran experience under her belt. The two-time All-American led the team in 2025-26 with a 70.1 adjusted scoring average, marking the lowest of her career. She ended the season ranked No. 21 on Scoreboard, the highest ranked among the Wake Forest squad.
The three-time All-ACC Team member earned a career-low 54-hole score of 202 at the Stephens Cup, with season-low rounds of 67 during both round one and three of the tournament. Additionally, the two-time ANWA invitee placed in the top-15 or better in 5 of 7 tournaments during the regular season, followed by top-25 finishes at the ACC Championship and NCAA Regionals.
Now beginning her junior year as a Demon Deacon, Kovelesky finished her sophomore season with four top-10 finishes, four top-5, and second career-title as a co-medalist at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate. That following weekend, the Boca-Raton, Fla.-native turned in career-low 54-hole and 18-hole scores at the Stephens Cup, to tie for second.
The two-time All-American kicked off her postseason going nine-under at the 2026 ACC Championship to earn third place medalist honors. Kovelesky's overall score of 207 tied third in program history for the lowest 54-hole score to par at the championship.
Both Deacs' success this past year saw them join Team USA at the 2026 Arnold Palmer Cup and compete in the U.S. Women's Amateur this past August.
Wake Forest begins the 2026-27 season this September at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate, where previously they swept team and individual honors to open the 2025-26 slate.
The ANNIKA Award is presented annually to the top Division I women's golfer. Previous finalists from Wake Forest include Jennifer Kupcho (2017, 2018, 2019) and Rachel Kuehn (2024), however the award has yet to be won by a Demon Deacon.
2026-2027 ANNIKA Award Preseason Watch List (listed alphabetically):
Vanessa Borovilos, Texas A&M
Pinky Chaisilprungruang, Charlotte
Anna Davis, Auburn
Eunseo Choi, Pepperdine
Paula Francisco, Florida
Sophia Fullbrook, Florida State
Eila Galitsky, South Carolina
Veronika Kedronova, Kent State
Lauren Kim, Texas
Jasmine Koo, USC
Chloe Kovelesky, Wake Forest
Marie Madsen, NC State
Rianne Malixi, Duke
Maria Jose Marin, Arkansas
Paula Martin Sampedro, Stanford
Farah O'Keefe, Texas
Meja Örtengren, Stanford
Macy Pate, Wake Forest
Cayetana Fernández García-Poggio, Texas A&M
Prim Prachnakorn, Oregon
Andrea Revuelta, Stanford
Patience Rhodes, Arizona State
Bailey Shoemaker, USC
Marta Silchenko, Oklahoma State
Avery Weed, Mississippi State
About the ANNIKA Award presented by Stifel:
- 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. Ingrid Lindblad (LSU) became the 11th ANNIKA Award winner in 2024.
- 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. Stifel also serves as a presenting sponsor for the NCAA Division I Women's and Men's Golf Championships on GOLF Channel.
Players Mentioned
Wednesday, August 26
Tuesday, August 25
Friday, August 21
Wednesday, August 19