DeKALB — Kim Kester has been named the 2022 Mid-American Conference Women’s Golf Coach of the Year, the conference announced Thursday.

The announcement comes four days after Kester led the Huskies to a second place finish at the MAC Championship Sunday. NIU competed the event at 43-over-par to finish as the runner-up behind conference champion Kent State University. Sophomore Jasmine Ly was the individual MAC champion at one-under-par.

NIU earned four top-3 finishes in tournament play during the 2021-22 regular season under Kester’s leadership. The Huskies claimed third place in the season openers for the fall and spring competition schedules. Their outings at the Colonel Classic on April 4-5 and Redbird Spring Invitational on April 8-9 also resulted in third place finishes.

This is Kester’s second time winning the award since taking the reins in August 2012. Kester shared the honor with former Kent State head coach Lisa Strom in 2021. She is the first NIU coach to claim the honor as a lone recipient in the history of the women’s golf program.

“My name is on the award, but it’s not about me, it’s (Associate head coach) Andrew (Frame), it’s the team, it’s all of us,” Kester said in an NIU Athletics news release. “We wouldn’t have the success we’ve had if we didn’t have everyone working together. I’m honored that the other MAC coaches selected me, and it shows that our peers are recognizing the success we have here and what we’re building, but it’s definitely about all of us.”

Kester and the Huskies will have the remainder of the spring and summer to prepare for the Fall 2022 competition schedule as they look to make another run at a MAC title.