By: by Hunter McKay
Atlantic Sun Release
KENNESAW, Ga. – Led by Atlantic Sun Conference individual champion
Clara Aveling, the Kennesaw State women's golf team collected a plethora of honors as the A-Sun announced its postseason all-conference teams on Friday (April 22).
Aveling was named both Atlantic Sun Women's Golfer of the Year and Freshman of the Year, while junior
Dulcie Sverdloff and Aveling were selections to the All-Atlantic Sun First Team. Freshman
Medy Thavong was named to the All-Atlantic Sun Second Team, while Aveling, Thavong and
Charlotte Charrayre were selected to the Atlantic Sun All-Freshman Team.
"I am incredibly proud of all our postseason award winners," said Head Coach
Rhyll Brinsmead. "To be recognized by the conference and to have my players voted as Freshman of the Year, Player of the Year, first and second team and freshman team all-conference by our peer schools coaches is a huge honor."
Aveling, becomes the third consecutive KSU player to receive Freshman of the Year accolades after
Henriette Nielsen earned the award a season ago and Sverdloff earned it in 2014. She joins Alexandria Buelow of Stetson as the only athletes to have ever won both Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year in the same season.
The Linkebeek, Belgium native registered the lowest scoring average of all A-Sun freshmen with a 75.16 average after playing in 11 tournaments in 2015-16, which included winning the A-Sun Individual Championship. She posted four top-20 finishes and shot par or better six times during the season, while also being the Owls top-finisher in four events.
"Clara had an incredible year that peaked with her winning the Atlantic Sun conference championship," said Brinsmead. "I am so very proud of her and she is very deserving of these awards and recognition. To be named both Freshman of the Year and Player of the Year is an amazing feat. All year she strived to be her best and I appreciate all she has done for the program and the standard she has set. This is also the third straight year we have won the Freshman of the Year award. This award is particularly special to me as it shows we are continually recruiting the best new players to Kennesaw State and this is crucial as we work to be dominant in conference as well as nationally," Brinsmead said.
Sverdloff played in all of the team's 11 events this season. The Southend-on-Sea, Essex native was second on the team with a 75.97 scoring average. The junior had the Owls low-round of the season with a 69 (-3) in the third round of the Fall Invitational and collected three top-20 finishes during the season.
"This is the third straight year Dulcie has been recognized with an All-Conference honor, she continues to be one of the best players in the conference and her recognition as first-team All-Conference is well deserved," Brinsmead said.
Thavong ranked fourth on the team with a 76.28 stroke average and totaled two of the Owls top finishes on the season, with her best showing coming at the Lady Paladin Invitational where she tied for 14th with a score of 222. She earned A-Sun Player of the Week accolades on Sept. 24 and tallied par or better three times throughout the season.
Charrayre picks up her first career conference accolade after turning in a season stroke average of 76.53, which includes three rounds at par or better. Her best finish came at the Atlantic Sun Championship where she tied for 11th with rounds of 76-77-75 228 ( 12). She collected three top-15 finishes during her freshman campaign. She fired an opening round 70 (-2) at the JU Amelia Island Collegiate which was her low round of the season.
"We currently have the 13
th-ranked freshman class in the nation and with all three freshman (Medy, Charlotte and Clara) being named to the All-Freshmen team, as well as Medy being named second-team All-Conference, shows the future of this program is in good hands," Brinsmead said.
To keep up with the latest Kennesaw State women's golf news follow the team on Twitter
@KSUOwlNation and @
KSUOwlsWmnsGolf or by liking Kennesaw State University on
Facebook.
- #GoKSUOwls -
