Fayetteville, North Carolina - The USA South has announced the recipients of the conference's most prestigious individual honor for 2026 with Piedmont University's Erin Donovan of the women's golf team being named the Rita Wiggs Award honoree.

"Our department could not be more proud of Erin for earning this achievement," said Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Jamie Purdy of Donovan, Piedmont's first-ever Rita Wiggs award winner. "Erin is an outstanding student, a hard-working athlete, and represents to the highest degree much of the criteria that this award carries. We are excited for Erin to be named the 2026 Rita Wiggs Award winner!"

Donovan is running out of room on the trophy shelf with the addition of this latest honor having been named an All-American for the third straight season just a few weeks ago.  But it's not just the national accolades that are filling up the shelves as Donovan leaves the USA South as one its most decorated women's golfers if not student-athletes of all time.

A two-time USA South Player of the Year after twice being the Conference Tournament Champion, Donovan burst onto the scene in one of the nation's most competitve women's golf conferences being named the 2023 Rookie of the Year in a league that has produced 15 of the last 26 national champions.

A no-doubt 1st Team All-Conference selection all four years, Donovan saved some of her best for last leading her team to its first-ever USA South Tournament Championship in her senior season.  She never finished individually outside the top five at the Conference Tournament in her career. 

The team championship led Piedmont to its first NCAA Showing as a program after Donovan had previously qualified as an individual twice already in her career.  Her best tourney finish came in 2024 though Donovan finished off her career in contention for the lead or leading at the '25 version as well.  

"We are excited to see Erin named as the 2026 Rita Wiggs Award recipient," said Blake Watson, Head Women's Golf Coach at Piedmont. "Her talent and abilities on the golf course speak for themselves, but Erin's persistence, preparation and leadership were unmatched both on and off the course. She represented Piedmont and Division III Women's Golf with exceptional character and pride; we could not be more excited for her for this achievement."

In the classroom, Donovan graduated Magna Cum Laude double-majoring in Mass Communications and Sports Communications with a cumulative GPA of 3.79. She appeared on the Piedmont President's Scholar list six times and the Dean's List on eight occasions.

In each of her final three years, Donovan received USA South Academic All-Conference accolades, WGCA All-America Scholar recognition, and Collegiate Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District distinction. She also earned two campus awards, the Mass Communications Major Award and the Community Impact Award.

"Receiving the Rita Wiggs Woman of the Year Award is an incredible honor and one that means more than any individual accomplishment I have received", said Donovan of the award. "It truly is a testament to the character I have worked to build, not only as a golfer, but as a student, teammate, and person. I have been fortunate to be surrounded by people who have challenged me, believed in me, and supported me throughout my college career.

"I am incredibly grateful to my coaches and the faculty that believed in me and pushed me to grow in more ways than just on the course. This recognition reflects the impact each of them has had on my life, and I am honored to represent everyone who has helped me become the person I am today." 

On the subject of service within her community, Donovan served as Editor-in-Chief of The Roar, the University's student newspaper, while also engaging in meaningful service through the Cornelia Soup Kitchen and involvement with the Society of Professional Journalists.

Beyond campus, she contributed to the Georgia State Golf Association by working 20 junior tournaments as a rules official, starter, scorer, and communications intern. Finally, Donovan supported her peers as a member of the Piedmont Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), serving as an executive board member.

Each year the USA South Athletic Conference presents its most prestigious awards by honoring one male and one female student-athlete. These student-athletes are recognized as recipients of the Don Scalf Award (male) and the Rita Wiggs Award (female). Each honoree will be the Conference's nominee for the Division III Commissioners Association (D3CA) regional and national awards.

To be eligible for each award a student-athlete must have competed in a USA South-sponsored sport, earned an undergraduate degree no later than the summer 2026 term and have a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.50 on a 4.00 scale.

The nominated athletes are evaluated on a specific rubric based on their undergraduate cumulative grade-point average, athletic accomplishments, service and leadership contributions, and finally a personal statement describing how their experiences as a student-athlete have influenced their life and empowered them to have a positive impact on the world. Each award focuses on the full collegiate career of the student-athlete from academic, athletic and community service aspects.

Former USA South Commissioner Rita Wiggs, a tireless advocate of women's collegiate athletics as well a constant encourager of service to one's community, was the USA South's first full-time Commissioner serving the League for 16 years. In the spring of 2016 she was inducted into the USA South Hall of Fame.