Alberto receives top academic honor, 5 Kats recognized

One final award for Hanna Alberto before she leaves Sam Houston. The Southland Conference announced on Wednesday Alberto is this year's women's golf Student Athlete of the Year.

The award caps a remarkable year and career for the Bearkat senior, who won four of her 11 career titles this year, along with becoming the first Bearkat golfer to play in the NCAA National Championship.

Alberto is joined on the Southland All-Academic squad by four of her teammates as the Bearkats place a league-high five golfers on the all-academic squad.

Alberto, a four-time all-academic selection is joined on the first team by Jennifer Herbst and Zulaikah Nasser. Second team selections were Viera Permata Rosada and Leah Alberto, who earns her second all-academic recognition. Alberto graduated Sam Houston with a 4.0 GPA in MS-Health. It's the second Student Athlete of the year Award from Alberto, also winning it in 2018 as a sophomore. It's also the third straight season the Bearkats have won Student Athlete of the year, with Jenna Phillips taking the honor in 2019.

Herbst recorded a 3.1 GPA in Kinesiology. She was the co-medalist at the Southland Conference Championship and was named the conference Newcomer of the Year. Her first career win was at the Cardinal Classic hosted by Lamar. She played half of her 18 rounds at par or better this season with a low round of 70 in the second event of the season at the UNF Collegiate. She finished in the top 10 in all six tournaments this season including four top 5s.

Nasser posted a 3.38 GPA in Mass Communications. She was a First Team All-Southland Conference selection and finished in a tie for 7th at the Southland Conference Championships. Nasser played in five tournaments, finishing in the top 10 four times. Birdied No. 18 at the Sam Hall Intercollegiate to force a team playoff with UTA where the Bearkats won on the second playoff hole. Low round of 70 came in the opening round of the HBU Husky Invitational where she had her top finish, 3rd.

Leah Alberto is one of four repeat winners this year for the Southland, recording a 3.88 GPA in HCAD. She was named to the Spring 2020 SHSU President's list and Dean's list. She was a Second Team All-Southland Conference selection with her first career win at the Islander Classic, winning by one shot after a final round 71. Finished tied for 12th at Southland Conference Championships. She shot par or better five times this season with her career-low round of 68 coming on the final round of the Huntsville Toyota Bearkat Invitational to take runner up. She had three top 10 finishes.

Rosada posted a 3.91 GPA in Marketing. She was named to the fall 2021 Sam Houston President's list for a 4.0 GPA and Dean's List for 3.5 or higher. She was a 2nd Team All-Southland Conference selection and closed the season strong with three consecutive top-10 finishes. She was one of two Bearkats to play all seven events this spring with a season low round of 70 in the second round of the Cardinal Classic.

The all-academic teams are voted on by a head coach, sports information director and an academic/compliance staff member from each Southland Conference institution. Student-athletes must possess a 3.0 cumulative GPA and completed one full academic year at the nominating institution to qualify for All-Academic selection.

The Southland Conference awards committee, which consists of one administrator from each of the 13 member schools, votes for the student-athlete of the year. The Southland student-athlete of the year award is presented to one student-athlete who achieves excellence in both academics and athletics. All nominees must have earned at least a 3.2 GPA on a 4.0 scale and demonstrated athletics achievement for at least two years at the nominating institution.

Alberto receives top academic honor, 5 Kats recognized

Players Mentioned

Hanna Alberto

Leah Alberto

Jennifer Herbst

Zulaikah Nasser

Viera Permata Rosada

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