Paula Francisco smiles during the 2026 SEC Championship.
Francisco tabbed to ANNIKA Award Postseason Watch List
Wednesday, April 29, 2026 | Women's Golf
The 2026 SEC Individual Champion earns recognition for the annual award given to the top female Division 1 collegiate golfer.
COLUMBUS, Ga. - Florida women's golfer and the 2026 SEC Individual Champion, Paula Francisco was selected to The ANNIKA Award Postseason Watch List announced on Wednesday in conjunction with Golfweek and Golf Channel. Later this afternoon, the No. 3 Gators will learn their NCAA Regional Selection at 4 p.m. on Golf Channel.
Created in 2014, the award is annually given to the top female Division 1 collegiate golfer; the winner voted on by players, coaches and members of the college golf media.
Francisco has had a breakout season in her junior year. She became the eighth Gator to win the SEC Individual Championship and first since Maria Torres in 2016. This is the 10th time a UF golfer has been crowned the conference champion, which leads the SEC. The win was the second of Francisco's collegiate career and season, joining Maisie Filler (2023) as the last Gator to win multiple individual titles in a season. Francisco becomes the 14th UF golfer to claim two medalist honors in a single season.
She shot all three rounds under par for a 54-hole tournament score of 202 (-8), which the third lowest all-time by score in SEC Championship history. It is the lowest by par from a Gator since Maria Torres won the conference title in 2016 and finished 9-under.
In her first career victory, Francisco rewrote the record book at the Gators Invitational. After tying the 54-hole tournament record (202) in the spring opener, the Madrid native broke the 10-year program record with a final score of 200 (-10) to capture her first collegiate win. In round two, she tied for the second-lowest round in program history with a 65 (-5). The junior closed with a final round of 67 (-3) to win by five shots.
Ranked No. 8 nationally and 30th amateur in the world, she leads the team in stroke average (70.3), top25s (9) and under par rounds (16). After a T42 in the season opener, Francisco has finished (in order): T12-T12-T8-2-T15-T20-1-3-1.
The 10 Finalists for the 2025-2026 season will be announced on May 15 with voting will open that day through the end on May 25 at the conclusion of the stroke play portion of the NCAA Championship. Current D1 women's players, coaches, golf SID's, past winners, and select college golf media members are eligible to vote for the ANNIKA Award.
2025-2026 ANNIKA Award Postseason Watch List (listed alphabetically):
Vanessa Borovilos, Texas A&M
Pinky Chaisilprunruang, Charlotte
Paula Francisco, Florida
Megha Ganne, Stanford
Jasmine Koo, USC
Marie Madsen, NC State
Rianne Malixi, Duke
Maria Jose Marin, Arkansas
Paula Martin Sampedro, Stanford
Farah O'Keefe, Texas
Meja Ortengren, Stanford
Catherine Park, USC
Andrea Revuelta, Stanford
Kiara Romero, Oregon
Avery Weed, Mississippi State
Created in 2014, the award is annually given to the top female Division 1 collegiate golfer; the winner voted on by players, coaches and members of the college golf media.
Francisco has had a breakout season in her junior year. She became the eighth Gator to win the SEC Individual Championship and first since Maria Torres in 2016. This is the 10th time a UF golfer has been crowned the conference champion, which leads the SEC. The win was the second of Francisco's collegiate career and season, joining Maisie Filler (2023) as the last Gator to win multiple individual titles in a season. Francisco becomes the 14th UF golfer to claim two medalist honors in a single season.
She shot all three rounds under par for a 54-hole tournament score of 202 (-8), which the third lowest all-time by score in SEC Championship history. It is the lowest by par from a Gator since Maria Torres won the conference title in 2016 and finished 9-under.
In her first career victory, Francisco rewrote the record book at the Gators Invitational. After tying the 54-hole tournament record (202) in the spring opener, the Madrid native broke the 10-year program record with a final score of 200 (-10) to capture her first collegiate win. In round two, she tied for the second-lowest round in program history with a 65 (-5). The junior closed with a final round of 67 (-3) to win by five shots.
Ranked No. 8 nationally and 30th amateur in the world, she leads the team in stroke average (70.3), top25s (9) and under par rounds (16). After a T42 in the season opener, Francisco has finished (in order): T12-T12-T8-2-T15-T20-1-3-1.
The 10 Finalists for the 2025-2026 season will be announced on May 15 with voting will open that day through the end on May 25 at the conclusion of the stroke play portion of the NCAA Championship. Current D1 women's players, coaches, golf SID's, past winners, and select college golf media members are eligible to vote for the ANNIKA Award.
2025-2026 ANNIKA Award Postseason Watch List (listed alphabetically):
Vanessa Borovilos, Texas A&M
Pinky Chaisilprunruang, Charlotte
Paula Francisco, Florida
Megha Ganne, Stanford
Jasmine Koo, USC
Marie Madsen, NC State
Rianne Malixi, Duke
Maria Jose Marin, Arkansas
Paula Martin Sampedro, Stanford
Farah O'Keefe, Texas
Meja Ortengren, Stanford
Catherine Park, USC
Andrea Revuelta, Stanford
Kiara Romero, Oregon
Avery Weed, Mississippi State
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