The University of Nevada, Las Vegas women’s golf team received major recognition on May 8 as junior Zi Yu Foong was named Golfer of the Year and Amy Bush-Herzer earned Coach of the Year from the Mountain West Conference. This marks the first time since 2018 that UNLV has claimed both awards in a single season.
These honors highlight a successful year for the Rebels, who also saw Foong and sophomore Amber Chen selected to the Mountain West all-conference first team. Both athletes are receiving this distinction for the first time in their collegiate careers.
Foong, who is from Salangor, Malaysia, led the conference with a career-best scoring average of 71.75 and tied for most top-five finishes with five across ten tournaments. She secured her first career victory at the Colonel Wallenberg Ptarmigan Ram Classic and played a key role in winning the team title at the Mountain West Championship by making a decisive birdie on her final hole. “Zi has been outstanding all season, and seeing her deliver that championship-winning shot on the 18th (at Mission Hills Country Club) was a testament to her growth and composure,” said Bush-Herzer. “She has consistently put herself in the top of leaderboards all year. Her being recognized as the best in the conference is so well-deserved. She leads by example, and her passion for this team is what makes her special.”
Chen, originally from Taipei, Taiwan, finished second in conference standings with three top-five results and ranked among league leaders with an average score of 72.87 over eleven tournaments. Her achievements included tying a program-record low round with an eight-under-par 64 at the Cowgirl Classic as well as posting twelve under-par rounds throughout her breakout season. “Amber has been an absolute force for us this year and seeing her earn first-team all-conference honors is a testament to the incredible work she puts in every single day,” said Bush-Herzer.
Bush-Herzer was recognized as coach of the year for a second consecutive season—her fifth overall—and guided UNLV to its ninth Mountain West team title overall during her fifteen-year tenure leading Rebels women’s golf.
Looking ahead, these awards underscore continued success within UNLV’s women’s golf program while highlighting individual excellence by both players and coaching staff.
