Four Hawks recognized on Ping All-America teams
NORMAN, Okla. – Four Huntingdon golfers were recognized with the release of the Golf Coaches Association of America's finalized Division III Ping All-America teams.
Senior Stephen Shephard and junior Drew Mathers were announced as first-team All-America selections in May. This week, senior Henry Gee was named third-team All-America and senior Mark Connelly was named an honorable mention selection.
The second-team, third-team and honorable mention teams were released this week. The first-team was announced following the final round of the NCAA Division III Men's Golf Championships.
This is the third time Shephard has received All-America recognition and the second time Connelly has been honored. Shephard was a second-team selection each of the past two seasons and Connelly was a second-team selection as a junior.
The four Hawks helped lead Huntingdon to a fourth straight appearance in the NCAA Division III national tournament and the program's second runner-up finish in the past four seasons. The Hawks' 25-over-par 1177 in the national tournament set Huntingdon's NCAA-era record for a four-round tournament.
The Hawks won five tournaments this season, tied for the second most by the program during the NCAA era. Huntingdon finished in the top-six in all 11 tournaments this season and finished first or second in its final eight tournaments, including winning its first USA South Athletic Conference Tournament.
The Hawks won the conference championship by 26 strokes with a three-round total of 23-under 841 to set the program's NCAA-era record for a three-round tournament.
Mathers, a finalist for the Division III Jack Nicklaus Award, the second-ranked golfer in the Division III Golfstat rankings and the USA South Golfer of the Year, set the Hawks' NCAA-era season records for scoring average (71.18 in 28 rounds), wins (three) and rounds of par or better (20). He won the USA South Conference Tournament with a tournament-record 11-under-par 205 and shot an even-par 288 to place third in the national tournament and set the Hawks' NCAA-era record for 72 holes. In his final six events of the season, he placed first three times, second twice and third once.
Shephard was also a finalist for the Division III Jack Nicklaus Award and was ranked as high as third in Division III. He set the Hawks' NCAA-era records with 10 rounds in the 60s this season, 15 career rounds in the 60s and 38 career rounds of par or better. His 71.58 scoring average, two wins and 19 rounds of par or better this season were each the second most by a Hawk during a NCAA season. He set Huntingdon's NCAA-era record for 54 holes with a 12-under 204 in winning the Jekyll Island Collegiate Invitational. In 11 tournaments, he finished in the top-six eight times.
Gee averaged 72.87 in 31 rounds this season and turned in 12 rounds of par or better. His scoring average and rounds of par or better are both the fifth best by a Hawk during the NCAA era. Gee finished in the top-eight in six tournaments, including a second-place finish in the Rhodes College Fall Classic and a tie for second in the Wynlakes Intercollegiate. His 11-under 205 at Rhodes is tied for the second best 54-hole total by a Hawk during the NCAA era.
Connelly averaged 74.56 in 25 rounds this season and finished with six rounds of par or better. He finished in the top six in two of the Hawks' final four tournaments. He tied for fourth in the Emory Invitational and tied for sixth in the Wynlakes Intercollegiate.
Nine golfers from the USA South Athletic Conference were recognized on the All-America teams.
The complete All-America teams are listed below:
First Team
Jacob Arnett, Oglethorpe
Josh Gibson, Hope
Sam Goldenring, Williams
Jason Li, Carnegie Mellon
Drew Mathers, Huntingdon
James Mishoe, Guilford
Brian Peccie, Washington & Lee
Stephen Shephard, Huntingdon
Second Team
Josh Hill, Guilford
Ben Johnson, Illinois Wesleyan
Colin Laszlo, Wittenberg
Matt Organisak, Emory
Cade Osgood, Southwestern (TX)
Drew Pershing, Illinois Wesleyan
Cameron Willis, Wittenberg
Rob Wuethrich, Illinois Wesleyan
Third Team
Andrew Abel, Illinois Wesleyan
Henry Gee, Huntingdon
Larkin Gross, Methodist
Daniel Harcourt, Gettysburg
Emmet Herb, St. Thomas (MN)
Ken Kong, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
Will Rosenfield, Trinity (CT)
Colin Uecker, Texas Lutheran
Honorable Mention
Zane Brownrigg, Methodist
Reid Buzby, Middlebury
Scott Campell, Greensboro
Mason Chiu, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
Matthew Christl, Southwestern (TX)
Mark Connelly, Huntingdon
Preston DeSantis, Berry
Julian Gonzalez, Goucher
Jake Hollander, Redlands
Seger Howell, Concordia (TX)
William Kim, Concordia (TX)
Ben Kramer, Hope
Brendon Lowrance, McMurry
Ryan Mallette, Wittenberg
Addison Manring, Guilford
Logan Ryan, Emory
David Schneider, Saint John's (MN)
Dan Shepherd, Methodist
Mariano Silvestri, NC Wesleyan
Luke Smith, Hardin-Simmons
Alex Wrenn, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
Connor Yakubov, Emory
Eric Yiu, Emory