Ashby, Robinson Named to All-South Atlantic Conference Teams

ROCK HILL, S.C. – Carson-Newman College's Brad Robinson (Johnson City, Tenn.) and Liam Ashby (Dublin, Ireland) have been named to the 2010 Men's Golf All-South Atlantic Conference first team, league officials announced Sunday night.

Robinson, who graduated in December, qualified for the NCAA Tournament as an individual in 2008. He turned in a number of top-five finished in the fall, including taking fifth against a highly-competitive field at Clayton State University's Laker Invitational played in September.

Ashby drew first team honors after a strong season, which included leading a Robinson-less Eagle squad in the spring. He finished sixth overall at the Queens Invitational held at the TPC Sawgrass in Jacksonville.

Lincoln Memorial University's Eric Kennedy, who averaged 73 strokes per round, was named the South Atlantic Conference Men's Golf Player of the Year.

The 2010 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference men's and women's golf championships begin Monday at Etowah Valley Country Club in Etowah, N.C. The awards will be presented following Tuesday's final round.

Kennedy won the Richard Rendleman Invitational and had seven other top-seven finishes this season.

Newberry College's Brian McCants was named the Men's Golf Coach of the Year for the third year in a row. He guided Newberry to a current national ranking of No. 24 and a regional ranking of No. 7.

Newberry's Chandler Gruenemeier, who averaged 72.8 strokes per round and had two top-three finishes and three other top-15 finishes, was named the men's golf Freshman of the Year.

Wingate University's Braeden Jackson was named the men's golf Scholar-Athlete. The Scholar-Athlete award is selected by the SAC's Faculty Athletic Representative committee.

Joining Kennedy on the men's golf All-Conference first team are: Liam Ashby and Brad Robinson from Carson-Newman; and Daniel Stanley and Gruenemeier from Newberry.

The men's golf All-Conference second team consists of: Jonathan Clapp from Catawba College; Jack and Jason Garrett from Lenoir-Rhyne University; Jamie Chapman from Lincoln Memorial and Matthew Campbell from Newberry.

The golf All-Conference awards are determined by head-to-head rankings as determined by Golfstat, Inc.

Jackson is a sophomore majoring in Accounting with a 3.93 GPA. He is a two-year starter on the men's golf team and is averaging 77.8 strokes per round this season. He has one top-10 and three top-20 finishes.

Jackson was selected to be a Junior Marshall this year, and has been named to the Wingate Dean's List, President's List and SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll. He has volunteered on multiple occasions with Habitat for Humanity, helping to build houses around Monroe. He also participated with the Wingate men's golf team in the United Way Day of Caring in August, helping a local elderly woman with house maintenance and chores.

The 2010 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference men's and women's golf championship begins Monday with tee times starting at 7:30 a.m. Monday's competition consists of 36 holes, with the final 18 holes on Tuesday. Live stats will be available at the following links.

Men's tournament

2010 SOUTH ATLANTIC CONFERENCE GOLF AWARD WINNERS

MEN'S GOLF ALL CONFERENCE

First Team
Liam Ashby, Carson-Newman
Brad Robinson, Carson-Newman
Eric Kennedy, Lincoln Memorial
Daniel Stanley, Newberry
Chandler Gruenemeier, Newberry

Second Team
Jonathan Clapp, Catawba
Jack Garrett, Lenoir-Rhyne
Jason Garrett, Lenoir-Rhyne
Jamie Chapman, Lincoln Memorial
Matthew Campbell, Newberry

MEN'S GOLF COACH OF THE YEAR – Brian McCants, Newberry

MEN'S GOLF PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Eric Kennedy, Lincoln Memorial

MEN'S GOLF FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR – Chandler Gruenemeier, Newberry

MEN'S GOLF SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – Braeden Jackson, Wingate