By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech golf coach Polk Brown announced the annual postseason awards for the Golden Eagle men's team Friday, with four student-athletes taking home honors for the 2022-23 campaign.

Sophomore Jackson Skeen collected the team's top honor, earning Gilbert Darcy Most Valuable Player honors after an incredible season in the purple and gold. The Most Improved Player Award went to senior Bryce Beeler while fellow senior Chance Taylor earned the team's Coach's Award for the second time in his career. True freshman Anders Larson was named the Bobby Nichols Award for Leadership winner.

Skeen turned in the most memorable and impressive seasons by a Golden Eagle golfer in more than 15 years, delivering the third-lowest, single-season scoring average in program history, finishing with an Ohio Valley Conference-leading mark of 71.47 over 30 rounds of play. Only Scott Stallings managed better averages in his career, tallying a 71.29 showing in 2006-07 and a school-record 71.08 in 2005-06. His mark of 70.96 during the regular season marked the second-lowest by a Tech golfer in program history as well, falling just short of Stallings' 2005-06 mark of 70.94. 

Throughout the year, Skeen was named to the All-OVC Team for the second year in a row, was a four-time OVC Male Golfer of the Week, and was named the OVC Male Golfer of the Month for September. He became the first player in program history to earn a golfer of the month honor from the league and racked up the most player of the week accolades in a single season in school history. He won one event during the year while delivering five top-five finishes and six top-10 showings in nine stroke-play events.

"After one of the most remarkable and successful seasons in our program's history, to say Jackson is deserving of this award would be a massive understatement," Brown expressed. "His resume speaks for itself. It was such a privilege to see what he accomplished this year. He is an outstanding player and an even better teammate. There is so much to be said with this, but what he did was incredible. There really aren't enough adjectives to describe just how well he did. I'm excited to see what the 2023-24 season has in store for him."

Following a season posting a 79.63 scoring average, Beeler bounced back in his final year in the purple and gold, shaving nearly four strokes from his previous mark. The veteran turned in a 75.80 average on the year, competing in four events, including the final round of the OVC Tournament. 

"One of the greatest joys of this profession is to see how these young men grow during their time with the program," Brown said. "One could say this award is more golf based, but in my eyes, what Bryce has done over the last year is one of my proudest moments as a coach. He certainly improved when it came to golf, but just the man he has become and the leadership he showed this year is something I'll never forget. He is very deserving of this in more ways than one."

For the second time in his career, Taylor took home the team's Coach's Award, backing up another solid campaign competing in Cookeville. The veteran competed in eight events for the Golden Eagles, ranking second on the team with a scoring average of 74.38. He registered a career-low round of 67 to open his senior campaign at the Golfweek Fall Challenge. 

"Chance has been the ultimate team player throughout his entire career," Brown explained. "He is always wanting to do whatever is necessary to help the team be successful. This year was no different. I leaned on him for a lot of things and he was there every time. I'm thankful we have had him as a part of this program for the past five years."

In his first season with the Golden Eagles, Larson played a critical role as a leader, letting his play do the talking while constantly maintaining an incredible attitude. The rookie turned in a 74.42 scoring average while competing in all but one of the team's events during the season, earning a spot on both the All-OVC Team and OVC All-Newcomer Team. 

At the Big Blue Intercollegiate, Larson erupted for a 6-under 65 in the final round, tying for the fifth-lowest score in school history and setting the program's freshman single-round scoring mark. He fired a season-low 213 at the event. He also earned a top-10 finish at the Bobby Nichols Intercollegiate. 

"Anders came in and immediately made an impact on this team," Brown said. "His play was exceptional, but his attitude was second-to-none. Coach Nichols was always the most positive person I ever met, and not just from a coaching standpoint. Anders embodies this wholeheartedly. This young man has a bright, bright future ahead and I'm glad to be here for it."

The Gilbert Darcy MVP Award and the Most Improved Player Award have both been presented since 1994. The Coach's Award and Bobby Nichols Award for Leadership were established for the 2019-20 season, replacing a few other honors from the past.

The Coach's Award goes to the player displaying the best attitude, most dedication, and biggest impact to the team for the given year. The Bobby Nichols Award for Leadership, named after the late, Hall of Fame head coach, is presented to the player who has shown and provided the most leadership on the team during the given year.

Men's Awards
Gilbert Darcy MVP: Jackson Skeen
Most Improved Player: Bryce Beeler
Coach's Award: Chance Taylor
Bobby Nichols Award for Leadership: Anders Larson