ROSEMONT, Ill. – After Purdue Women’s Golf won the Coach Mo Classic earlier this week (March 30-31), the Boilermakers swept the Big Ten Conference’s weekly awards. Samantha Brown was named Big Ten Golfer of the Week, and Luana Valero was tabbed Big Ten Freshman of the Week, the league office announced Thursday afternoon (April 2).
Brown earned the weekly accolade for the first time in her career, while Valero picked up her third Big Ten Freshman of the Week honor of the season. A Purdue Boilermaker has become B1G Freshman of the Week following each of the team’s last three tournaments (two by Valero, one by Ida Lindqvist).
Brown led the Boilermakers to victory at the Coach Mo Classic, tying for third on the individual leaderboard for her fourth Top 10 performance of the season and the best finish of her career. The sophomore finished the three rounds at 3-under par with a career-low 213 (75-66-72); her 66 (-6) in the second round was a career low and the fifth-best round in program history. She led the 91-player field in par-4 scoring (-3) and ranked second in par-3 scoring (-1). With her stellar performance, Brown moved up to No. 143 in the national ranking and now holds a team-best 72.74 stroke average.
Valero helped Purdue capture the team title by playing the best golf of her young collegiate career. Leading the Boilermakers in the final round with a career-low 69 (-3), the freshman soared up the leaderboard to place eighth at 1-under par for her best finish and second career Top 10. Valero’s 54-hole total of 215 (74-72-69) was a career low and the first time she finished under par as a Boilermaker. She ranked second in the field in par-3 scoring (-1) alongside Brown and made a team-high 12 birdies throughout the tournament.
Brown, Valero and the rest of the Boilermakers have one final tune-up, taking place on home soil, before the 2026 Big Ten Championships (April 24-26). Purdue will host 14 other teams for the Boilermaker Spring Classic on the Ackerman-Allen Course at the Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex (April 12-13). Both days begin with a 9 a.m. ET shotgun start, and the event is free to the public.
