Matsumoto named MVP, leads Desert to conference title

College of the Desert's Fumika Matsumoto earned medalist honors in six of the 12 conference rounds this season and was named as the Orange Empire Conference MVP for women's golf this week after helping the Roadrunners go undefeated in conference play.

Matsumoto averaged 74.5 strokes per round and was 18 strokes better than teammate Samantha Stewart as she ran away with top honors in the conference.  Joining Matsumoto and Stewart (76.3) on the first-team all-conference list were the Irvine Valley pair of Leleaga Meredith (77.1) and Cindy Dang (80.7), the Fullerton duo of Tiffany Kohyama (80.7) and Kacy Kaichi (81.2), Saddleback sophomore Rina Tomihari (78.9), and Mt. San Antonio's Sarah Juelch (81.6).  

Stewart was named medalist in two events this season while Meredith earned medalist honors in four events.  Dang was a medalist three times and Tomihari earned medalist honors once.

Making the second-team all-conference list were Desert's Brooke Raney (82.3), Erin Lind (82.9) and Chantelle McCarthy (84.0) along with Rebecca Peng (83.6) of Irvine Valley, Jihyun Park (84.4) of Mt. San Antonio, Jesse Giese (86.8) of Fullerton, and the Palomar College pair of Deanna Bird (84.0) and Jessica Campbell (85.1). 

First-year Roadrunner coach Gary Sabella was named as the conference Coach of the Year.