Men's And Women's Golf Awards Announced

Presbyterian's Morrison, Tusculum's Palenkas Receive Top Honors

ROCK HILL, SC – Presbyterian College’s Hugh Morrison, who helped the Blue Hose men’s golf team to five top-five finishes, was named the South Atlantic Conference Men’s Golf Player of the Year, and Lincoln Memorial’s Charlie Hawes, who had five top-five finishes in his first year of collegiate competition, was named Men’s Golf Freshman of the Year, the league announced today. Tusculum College’s Shannon Palenkas, who had five top-10 finishes, was named Women’s Golf Player of the Year, while Newberry College’s Franziska Blum, who led the league in scoring average, was named Women’s Golf Freshman of the Year.

Presbyterian coach Thomas Addison was named Men’s Golf Coach of the Year, winning the award for the first time. He carries on a tradition set by his father, former Presbyterian coach Tommy Addison, who was a two-time award recipient. Thomas Addison guided the Blue Hose to a ranking of 16th in Division II this season.

Newberry coach Darby Sligh, who has guided the Lady Indians to a ranking of ninth nationally and five top-three finishes, was named Women’s Golf Coach of the Year.

Hugh Morrison

Charlie Hawes

Thomas Addison

Chase Carroll

Shannon Palenkas

Franziska Blum

Darby Sligh

Stephanie Delgado

Tusculum College’s Chase Carroll was named the South Atlantic Conference Men’s Golf Scholar Athlete Award, while Lenoir-Rhyne College’s Stephanie Delgado received the Women’s Golf Scholar Athlete Award.

Morrison, a junior from Macon, Ga. (Stratford Academy) had his best outing at the Southeastern Collegiate, where he finished second with a three-round score of one-under-par 215 (72-69-74). He also was the low man for the Blue Hose at the Bobcat Invitational, where he finished 30th. In 2005, Morrison was the MVP of the Food Lion SAC Men’s Golf Tournament as a freshman.

Hawes, a freshman from Surrey, England, helped the Railsplitters to seven top-five finishes. He finished second at the Kentucky State Golf Classic, third at the Tusculum Men’s Invitational and posted three other top-five finishes.

Joining Morrison and Hawes on the Men’s All-Conference First Team are Hunter Mengel from Newberry, Patrick Townes from Presbyterian and Chris Wynne from Tusculum.

The second team consists of Tyler Lane from Carson-Newman, Kent George from Lenoir-Rhyne, Ben Karns from Presbyterian, Tusculum’s Carroll, and Shane Dyer from Wingate.

Carroll, a sophomore from Knoxville, Tenn. (Bearden HS) won the Tusculum Fall Classic and tied for sixth at both the Anderson Invitational and Carolina Sands Classic. His season average of 74.88 is on pace to be the fifth lowest in school history. He has a 3.95 GPA as a business management major and has been named to the Dean’s Lisst, President’s List, Charles Oliver Gray Honors List and SAC Commissioner’s Honor Roll. In the community, Carroll volunteers with assisting the homeless, the “Empty Stocking Fund,” and tutoring and mentoring at a local elementary school.

Palenkas won the Tusculum Fall Classic and finished third at the Hargett Memorial Intercollegiate.

Blum, a freshman from Schweinfurt, Germany (Celtis-Gymnasium) had a big impact in her first year. She won the Patsy Rendleman Invitational, tied for second at the Mid-Carolina Invitational, and had a pair of third-place finishes at the Florida Gulf Coast Invitational and the Agnes McAmis Memorial.

Joining Palenkas and Blum on the Women’s All-Conference First Team are Jaynelle Harmon of Catawba College, Amanda Bowen of Tusculum and Beth Kirkham of Wingate University.

The second team consists of Kelsey Babos of Catawba, Stephanie Delgado of Lenoir-Rhyne, Eva Cormann and Ashley Ratcliff of Newberry and Kristen Cometto of Presbyterian College.

Delgado is a senior with a 3.86 GPA, as a triple major in international business, finance and Spanish, with a minor in economics.

She is a four-time All-SAC selection and two-time member of the Food Lion SAC All-Tournament team.

She received the Cromer Scholarship all four years at Lenoir-Rhyne, and also received the Elizabeth Banta Meuller Scholarship in 2006. She has been named to the President’s List and Dean’s List. She is a member of Omicron Delta Epsilon Economics Honor Society and Delta Mu Delta Business Honor Society and received the All-Scholar Award from the National Golf Coaches Association in 2005.

On campus and in the community, Delgado has volunteered with Operation Christmas Child, Girl Scouts, Prevent Child Abuse America and Catawba Valley Humane Society. She has served in the Student Government Association as sophomore and senior class presidents and the Student Honor’s Council. She received the Lenoir-Rhyne College Panhellenic Junior Award, the Corre Anding Stegall Collegite Leadership Award, Hickory Rotary Student of the Month and was named Lenoir-Rhyne Homecoming Queen.

The 2007 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Men’s and Women’s Golf Tournament begins Monday at Lake Hickory Country Club at Catawba Springs in Hickory, N.C., with 36 holes of competition. The final 18 holes will be Tuesday.

2007 SOUTH ATLANTIC CONFERENCE GOLF AWARD WINNERS

MEN’S GOLF ALL CONFERENCE

First Team
Charlie Hawes, Lincoln Memorial
Hunter Mengel, Newberry
Hugh Morrison, Presbyterian
Patrick Townes, Presbyterian
Chris Wynne, Tusculum

Second Team
Tyler Lane, Carson-Newman
Kent George, Lenoir-Rhyne
Ben Karns, Presbyterian
Chase Carroll, Tusculum
Shane Dyer, Wingate

MEN’S GOLF COACH OF THE YEAR – Thomas Addison, Presbyterian

MEN’S GOLF PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Hugh Morrison, Presbyterian

MEN’S GOLF FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR – Charlie Hawes, Lincoln Memorial

MEN’S GOLF SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – Chase Carroll, Tusculum

WOMEN’S GOLF ALL CONFERENCE

First Team
Jaynelle Harmon, Catawba
Franziska Blum, Newberry
Shannon Palenkas, Tusculum
Amanda Bowen, Tusculum
Beth Kirkham, Wingate

Second Team
Kelsey Babos, Catawba
Stephanie Delgado, Lenoir-Rhyne
Eva Cormann, Newberry
Ashley Ratcliff, Newberry
Kristen Cometto, Presbyterian

WOMEN’S GOLF COACH OF THE YEAR – Darby Sligh, Newberry

WOMEN’S GOLF PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Shannon Palenkas, Tusculum

WOMEN’S GOLF FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR – Franziska Blum, Newberry

WOMEN’S GOLF SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – Stephanie Delgado, Lenoir-Rhyne

SOUTH ATLANTIC CONFERENCE SENIOR AWARDS

Carson-Newman
Dane Fairfield

Catawba
Tyler Littman
Jaynelle Harmon
Melissa Kepley

Lenoir-Rhyne
Stephanie Delgado
Angela Gwosdz
Brad Childers
Kyle Shevlin

Lincoln Memorial
Aaron Hammons
Rachel Spurs

Newberry
Eva Cormann
Rachel Fobare
Stephanie Hemann
Daniel Lee
Clint Martin
Hunter Mengel
Brian Rush

Presbyterian
Ben Karns
Patrick Townes

Tusculum
Amanda Bowen
Liz Ennen
Becca Friddle
Shannon Palenkas
Matt Brown

Wingate University
Garrett Davitt
Beth Kirkham
Brittany Staton