Emma Bunch and Rylee Salome from New Mexico State were recognized as all-conference competitors following a vote by Conference USA’s ten head coaches, according to a May 7 announcement from the league. Bunch was named Conference USA Golfer of the Year and selected for First Team All-Conference, while freshman Salome earned Second Team All-Conference honors after her first collegiate season.
These awards highlight individual achievements in women’s golf at New Mexico State. The recognition places both athletes among the top performers in their conference for the season.
Bunch received her third player of the year honor, becoming only the third golfer in Conference USA history to earn this distinction three times. She joins Brooke Tull from Texas Christian University (2002–2004) and Pam Bluff from Tulane (1998–2000). This season, Bunch finished in the top twelve at all seven tournaments she played, including six top-ten finishes and four top-five results during her senior year. She ended ranked No. 88 nationally by SCOREBOARD and was granted an at-large bid into the NCAA Stanford Regional as Conference USA’s highest-ranked player.
During her senior campaign, Bunch won The Clash at Boulder Creek with a score of 205 over 54 holes, contributing to a program record team score of 844. She also placed second at the Conference USA Championship for a third consecutive year with a two-under finish. Over twenty-one rounds this season, she averaged 70.4 strokes per round and posted eight rounds in the sixties—including a season-low sixty-five during the final round of conference play.
Salome competed in all nine tournaments as one of three Aggies to do so this year, earning five top-twenty-five finishes and twice finishing inside the top ten. Her best result came at the Conference USA Championship where she tied for third place after shooting two-over par; she also held shares of tournament leads after each of its first two rounds. In total this season, Salome recorded three rounds in the sixties and had under-par performances at both The Clash at Boulder Creek and Sam Golden Invite.
