COLUMBUS, Ga. – Junior Bronte Law was named the winner of the 2016 ANNIKA Award presented by 3M, given to the nation’s top female collegiate golfer.

Law is the third-ever winner of the award, joining the inaugural winner and Bruin alum, Alison Lee in 2014, as well as Leona Maguire of Duke in 2015. The ANNIKA Award is named in honor of legendary professional and college golfer Annika Sorenstam. The award, which is voted on by Division I golfers, college coaches and members of the golf media, is an initiative of the Fred Haskins Commission and ANNIKA Foundation and is managed with the help of Golfweek. Law will formally receive the award in September at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate in Orlando, Fla.

“For me it is such an honor to be associated with Annika,” said Law in an interview with Golf Channel’s Lisa Cornwell. “All year it has really been my goal to win the ANNIKA Award. To see such good players win it in the previous two years, to be named the winner, it means so much. Not only because you are considered one of the best players in college golf, but the fact that it is voted for by your peers, the media, and all of the coaches.

“I can’t explain how proud I am to be a Bruin,” Law continued. “It is something I never thought I would experience.”

Law, who is a finalist for the Honda Sport Award for golf, was named the PING WGCA Player of the Year, as well as a WGCA First Team All-American. The top-ranked collegiate golfer according to Golfweek, she led the Bruins with a 70.6 scoring average this season, posting eight Top 10s in nine events, including a co-medalist finish at the Bryan Regional. It was her third victory of the season (Stanford Intercollegiate and PING/ASU Invitational) and the sixth of her career to tie Kay Cockerill for the most in school history. In her last four events prior to the NCAA Championships, she went T-1, second (Pac-12 Championships), first (PING/ASU) and second (Bruin Wave Invitational). She had 20 rounds under par and 11 in the 60’s. Law, who was named All-Pac-12 First Team, finished ninth in stroke play at the NCAA Championships and never trailed in both of her match-play contests.

Along with earning the ANNIKA Award, Law will also receive an exemption to September’s Evian Championship (Sept. 15-18 in France), the final major of the LPGA Tour season. It will be the second major she has played in this season (ANA Inspiration in March).