COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – University of Colorado Colorado Springs head women's golf coach Todd Laxson has been voted the 2022-23 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Women's Golf Coach of the Year, and junior Emily Shimkus earned All-RMAC Second Team accolades, announced Tuesday morning by the league office.
 
Joining Laxson as an individual award winner is Mina Archer from Colorado State University Pueblo.  Archer has claimed the 2023 RMAC Golfer of the Year and the RMAC Freshman of the Year honors.
 
All-RMAC First and Second Teams are comprised of 16 individuals eligible to compete in NCAA post-season play as an individual. Selections for all-conference teams are made by a committee comprised of the RMAC Women's Coach Chair, Women's RAC coach representatives, and a representative from the RMAC office after the NCAA Super Regionals.
 
Laxson, who served as the Mountain Lions assistant coach for four years before being named the head coach in June 2019, wrapped up his fourth year as head coach of the program, leading the Mountain Lions to a fifth-place finish at the conference championships in Boulder City, Nevada.
 
Laxson and the Mountain Lions started the season Sept. 12-13 at the CCU Swan Memorial in Thornton, Colo.  UCCS carded a 942 to finish eighth out 16 teams.  The three-round score of 942 would prove to be the lowest score for the Mountain Lions in 2022-23.  UCCS returned to the links Oct. 3-4 in Dallas, Texas for the DBU Regional Preview and finished last out of 16 teams.  UCCS bounced back the following week to post a third place finish out of 10 teams at the CSUP Farmers Insurance Invitational.  One week later, the Mountain Lions wrapped up the fall season in Albuquerque, N.M., posting a 12^th place finish (15 teams) at the FLC Nick Turner Invite.
 
The Mountain Lions opened the spring portion of their season with a strong start at the SMSU Spring Classic in Lichfield Park, Ariz. on March 13-14.  UCCS tied for third place in the eight-team tournament and was led by Emily Shimkus' individual medalist honor.  The following week, UCCS headed to Pebble Beach, Calif. for the DBU Poppy Hills Invite and claimed a 13^th place finish among the 15 teams.  The Mountain Lions stayed out West for their final two regular season tournament, finishing 11^th out of 11 teams at the CSU San Marcos Shootout and 20^th out of 20 teams at the WTAMU Desert Invite, before closing their season shooting a 943 at the conference tournament.
 
Laxson, who coached the Mountain Lions in nine tournaments this season, helped UCCS to an average 322.6 strokes per round.  UCCS ended the season on a high note, shooting their lowest rounds of the season in the first two rounds of the RMAC tournament (305, 305).
 
A native of Cave Creek, Ariz., Emily Shimkus is making her first appearance on the All-RMAC Second Team.  The junior led the Mountain Lions in scoring average (77.6) and was the top golfer for UCCS in eight of the nine tournaments.  A two-time All-RMAC First Team selection, Shimkus was named to the 2023 RMAC All-Academic Honor Roll and to the 2022 RMAC All-Academic First Team. She finished in the top-10 in three tournaments this year, including a season low 147 at the SMSU Spring that earned her individual medalist honors and the RMAC Women's Golfer of the Week recognition.  Two years after winning the RMAC championship tournament as an individual, Shimkus finished in a tie for third place at this year's conference championship behind a season low three-round score of 223.