Man charged with murder of former Iowa State golfer in Ames

Former Iowa State golfer Celia Barquin Arozamena, 22, was found dead on a course in Ames, Iowa, on Monday, and a 22-year-old man has been charged with murder.

Arozamena, who was the 2018 Big 12 individual champion and Iowa State Female Athlete of the Year, was a native of Puente San Miguel, Spain.

According to the Ames Police Department, officers were called to the Coldwater Golf Course when a golf bag was found with no one nearby. Officers then found a body “some distance away” and determined that she “had been assaulted and died as a result.” A police investigation led to Collin Daniel Richards, 22, being charged with first-degree murder.

“Celia had an infectious smile, a bubbly personality and anyone fortunate enough to know her was blessed,” Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard said in a news release. “Our Cyclone family mourns the tragic loss of Celia, a spectacular student-athlete and ISU ambassador.”

According to Iowa State, Arozamena made four straight NCAA regional appearances, was on the All-Big 12 team three times and was a three-time first-team Academic All-Big 12 selection.

“We are all devastated,” Iowa State head women’s golf coach Christie Martens said in a news release. “Celia was a beautiful person who was loved by all her teammates and friends. She loved Iowa State and was an outstanding representative for our school. We will never forget her competitive drive to be the best and her passion for life.”

Arozamena was due to finish her civil engineering degree this fall.

In April, Arozamena was the first Iowa State golfer to win the Big 12 women’s title when she topped the field by 3 shots in Dallas.