Junior Vairana Heck and sophomore Eila Galitsky of the South Carolina Gamecocks were named to the Second Team All-Southeastern Conference, according to a May 1 announcement by the Southeastern Conference. The annual women’s golf awards are determined by votes from the league’s 16 head coaches.
The recognition highlights individual performances during a season where both players led their team in several categories. Heck, ranked No. 38 in Clippd, posted a career-best scoring average of 71.73 and led South Carolina with six top-20 finishes out of nine stroke play starts. She also secured her first career win at the Shootout at Wachesaw on March 9 and finished tied for eighth at the SEC Championship with a personal best three-round score.
Galitsky, who was First Team All-SEC and Co-Freshman of the Year last year, followed up with four top-10 finishes this season and holds a scoring average of 71.96—second only to Heck on her team. Ranked No. 40 in Clippd, she opened her season with three consecutive top-10 placements including co-medalist honors at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate.
South Carolina has now achieved 35 All-SEC selections over Kalen Anderson’s tenure as head coach spanning nineteen seasons. Both Heck and Galitsky were among four Gamecocks chosen as individuals for NCAA Regionals scheduled for May 11–13; Heck will compete in Tallahassee alongside freshman Molly McLean while Galitsky will play in Louisville together with junior Maylis Lamoure.
Other major conference honors included Emily Glaser (Florida) as Coach of the Year, Farah O’Keefe (Texas) as Player of the Year, Lynn Lim (Vanderbilt) as Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Madison Messimer (Tennessee) as Freshman of the Year, and Megan Propeck (Florida) as Newcomer of the Year.
Looking ahead, regional qualifiers have an opportunity to advance individually or by team placement to compete at this year’s NCAA Championship set for May 22–27 at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad.
