BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. – Suffolk women's golf senior Isabel Smith added more hardware to her resume as she was recognized as the 2023 Libby Smith Award honoree by the New England Intercollegiate Golf Association Friday on the eve of the seventh annual NEIGA Championships.

In its second year, the annual award is given to the New England College Women's Golfer that best exemplifies strong leadership and positive enthusiasm for the game of golf. Additionally, the student-athlete embodies the spirit of the game with high levels of enthusiasm, eagerness to learn, leads by example, good sportsmanship and commitment to work ethic. 

The captain from Westford, Massachusetts, has proven herself on and off the course throughout her collegiate career.

On the links, she has been a leader from the get-go, earning All-Northeast Women's Golf Conference (NWGC) as a freshman in 2020-21. A year later, she topped the regional field as the second-ever Ram to become NEIGA Champion. That season she anchored Suffolk to its third NEIGA Title in program history and garnered her second all-league honor in as many years. As a senior this fall, Smith has secured her spot in the Rams record book as the program's record holder for a two-day, 36-hole score with a 153 at the Ithaca Invitational, Sept.16-17. Her 18-hole card of 74 on day of the Ithaca Invite also sits atop Suffolk's annals as the lowest 18-hoel score in program history. 

In the classroom as a Biology major, she was the first-ever Suffolk women's golfer to take home College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors, achieving the feat a year ago. Through her six undergraduate semesters, she has achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA in five of them.

Smith looks to lead Suffolk back to NEIGA glory this weekend when the Rams aim to reclaim the NEIGA Title after missing it a year ago. The blue-and-gold has won the regional tournament three times, 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2021-22.