April 26, 2007

FRISCO, Tex. - Sophomore men's golfer Marty Reed was named to the All-Southland Conference Honorable Mention Men's Golf Team, announced the league office Thursday afternoon.

A native of DeRidder, La., Reed finished the season with a 74.9 stroke average after playing a total of 21 rounds of golf. His best finish of the season came at the Moe O'Brien Memorial Golf Tournament in September, when he placed eighth overall with a 224. Reed led all Nicholls golfers at the Southland Conference Tournament, shooting a 225 to tie for 21st place.

After winning the Southland Conference tournament and helping his team to a league championship, Lamar junior Dawie Van Der Walt has been unanimously voted the Southland Conference Player of the Year in men's golf and to the All-SLC first team as voted upon by the league's coahces and sports information directors.

Van Der Walt, a native of Cape Town, South Africa led the conference with eight top ten finishes with a league leading 70.7 stroke average through 30 rounds of play. His 203 mark in the conference tournament is the second highest mark since the tournament's birth in 1964, falling short by one stroke of former Lamar standout John Reigger in 1985 with a 202.

Joining Van Der Walt on the All-SLC first team are teammates Casey Clendenon, Oliver Bekker, and Justin Harding. In 33 rounds of play Clendenon posted five top ten scores with a 72.2 average second only to Van Der Walt, and finished third in the conference tournament, (209).

Bekker swung through 33 rounds posting a 72.4 average with six top ten finishes in addition to a second place finish in the league tournament, (206). Harding posted five top ten marks including three first place finishes for most wins in conference while grabbing three consecutive player of the week awards. Harding finished sixth overall with a 215 mark in the conference tournament.

Rounding out the All-SLC first team is Southeastern Louisiana sophomore Aaron O'Callaghan. With 31 rounds of play and five top ten finishes O'Callaghan posted a 72.4 stroke average tying him for third in conference.

Falling one point shy of first team honors, Southeastern Louisiana sophomore Matthew Carvell leads the second team ballot with six top ten finishes in 30 rounds of play for a 72.5 stroke average. Joining Carvell on the second team are teammates Hugo Leon, and Peter O'Keefe. The final remaining spots were awarded to Robert Gwin of Sam Houston

State and Dusty Smith of Lamar.

Sam Houston State's Beau Willis was voted Freshman of the Year after posting a 73.4 average through 15 rounds with two top ten finishes.

First year head coach Brian White of the Lamar Cardinals was voted SLC Coach of the Year after leading his Cardinals to their 21st league championship since the inaugural tournament in 1964 and their fifth title since 2001.

2007 ALL-SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE MEN'S GOLF TEAMS

FIRST TEAM

Dawie Van Der Walt Lamar Jr. Cape Town, South Africa

Casey Clendenon Lamar Jr. Katy, Texas

Oliver Bekker Lamar So. Stellenbosch, South Africa

Aaron O'Callaghan Southeastern La. So. Cork, Ireland

Justin Harding Lamar So. Cape Town, South Africa

SECOND TEAM

Matthew Carvell Southeastern La. So. Johannesburg, South Africa

Robert Gwin Sam Houston State Sr. Houston, Texas

Hugo Leon Southeastern La. Sr. Santiago, Chile

Peter O'Keefe Southeastern La. Jr. Cork, Ireland

Dusty Smith Lamar Sr. The Woodlands, Texas

THIRD TEAM

Thomas Kearney UTSA Jr. Donegal, Ireland

Sigmundur Masson McNeese State Jr. Reykjavik, Iceland

James Taverner Southeastern La. So. London, England

Zack Reeves UT Arlington Jr. Arlington,Texas

Kyle Collins UTSA So. San Antonio, Texas

Honorable Mention: Marty Reed, NICH; Beau Willis, SHSU; Chad Spencer, SFA; Michael Van de Venter, UTA; Bobby Massa, UTA; Tyler Barnes-Wolf, TXST.

Player of the Year: Dawie Van Der Walt, Lamar

Freshman of the Year: Beau Willis, Sam Houston State

Coach of the Year: Brian White, Lamar

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