By TTU Sports Information
Click here to view the GCAA release and complete list of honorees
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Two members of the Tennessee Tech men's golf team have been recognized as Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-America Scholars for 2015-16 by the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA).
A total of 219 players in Division I, 91 in Division II and 12 in NAIA earned the honor, including Golden Eagles Neil Gannaway and Mitch Thomas. Additionally, 43 honorees were added to the previously released Division III Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-America Scholars. The criteria for selection to the All-American Scholar Team are some of the most stringent in all of college athletics.
To be eligible for Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-America Scholar status an individual must be a junior or senior academically, compete in at least three full years at the collegiate level, participate in 50-percent of his team's competitive rounds, have a stroke-average under 76.0 in Division I, 78.0 in Division II, 77.0 in NAIA and 79.0 in Division III, and maintain a minimum cumulative career grade-point average of 3.2. A recipient must also be of high moral character and be in good standing at his college or university.
"I'm extremely proud of both Mitch and Neil," Tech head coach Polk Brown said. "Both were outstanding student-athletes in their careers here and this award just emphasizes how much work they put in in the classroom. The two were invaluable leaders both on and off the course and will surely be missed as they head on their way into their professional careers."
The two Golden Eagle golfers were among a group of five from the Ohio Valley Conference included in the 219 players chosen from throughout NCAA Division I schools.
A senior who played two seasons on the golf team after finishing a four-year career on the Golden Eagle football team, Gannaway developed into an impact player in his final year. He captured the Long Hitter Award. Gannaway was second on the team in stroke average at 73.87, with three top 10 finishes and one top five showing. He also produced 10 rounds below par, tied for tops on the team with Kendrick.
His best effort netted a fourth place individual finish at the Big Blue Invitational, April 11-12, featuring a second-round 68 to match his career-best 18-hole score. He also fired a 68 during th Bash at the Beach in March, and had a 69 in the final tournament of the fall schedule.
One of the men's team co-captains, Thomas received the Gilbert Darcy MVP Award, and also won the Best Putter Award while claiming the Low Average Award. A senior from Knoxville, Tenn., Thomas played in 31 tournament rounds while qualifying for all 11 tournament, and was below par in seven rounds on his way to team-best 73.32 stroke average. He scored the low round of the season by a Golden Eagle when he carded a 67 at the Golfweek Program Challenge to open the season last September. He posted three top 10 finishes, before a 19th place individual showing at the OVC Championships.
Thomas played in 122 rounds during his four seasons on the roster, finishing as one of the most consistent players in school history with a 73.89 career average.
