Celia Barquin Arozamena, the 2018 Big 12 golf champion and a member of the Iowa State golf team, was found dead on a golf course on Monday in Ames, Iowa.
A 22-year-old man, named Collin Daniel Richards, was charged with first-degree murder. Story County Courthouse set a $5 million bond early Tuesday. They found Barquin’s body with stab wounds in a pond off of the ninth hole of the Coldwater Golf Course. Richards was apparently living in a tent off of the course and committed this horrific crime almost randomly. Richards had a track record of domestic violence, and the Jefferson, Iowa police force was familiar with his history of crime.
Barquin was originally from Spain. She initially came to Iowa State knowing very little English, but was going to complete her civil engineering degree this coming fall. She inspired her team by winning the Big 12 championship by 3 strokes. Barquin was also named to the Big 12 first-team academic honor roll. She won the European Amateur Championship, which guaranteed her a spot in the 2017 U.S. Women’s Open and the British Open.
Barquin was named Iowa State’s Female Athlete of the Year last year. She was initially going to be honored at Iowa States’ upcoming football game for her award, but now the football team will honor her by decorating their helmets with Barquin’s initials. She was clearly a very smart, talented, driven, and loved athlete.
The Spanish Golf Federation’s, Nacho Gervás, said that Barquin was “heading for the very top,” per ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg. Iowa States’ president, Dr. Wendy Wintersteen, told the media:
“This is a tragic and senseless loss of a talented young woman and an acclaimed student athlete… We mourn with her family and friends in Spain, her teammates here and all who knew her. On behalf of the entire Cyclone family, I extend our deep condolences to Celia’s family and her many friends and teammates at Iowa State. We are deeply saddened.”
2017 Masters champion and fellow Spaniard, Sergio Garcia, tweeted about the loss of Barquin.
Heartbroken over what happened to #CeliaBarquinArozamena I had the pleasure of meeting her and I know she was a special person. Sending my thoughts and prayers to her family and loved ones in this difficult time
— Sergio Garcia (@TheSergioGarcia) September 18, 2018
Featured Image via AP
