Horizon League Golf All-Conference Teams Announced; Championship Begins Sunday

INDIANAPOLIS – Co-Players of the Year have been named as the Horizon League has announced its men’s and women’s golf all-conference honors. Detroit Mercy senior Sarah Thompson and Oakland senior Morgan Smith share top golfer honors on the women’s side while Valparaiso senior Peter Webb and Wright State senior Ryan Wenzler earned Player of the Year accolades on the men’s side.

The Horizon League All-Conference Teams are voted on by the league’s head coaches and were announced Saturday evening at an awards banquet at the Mission Inn Resort.

Thompson caps off an award-filled career by sharing the league’s Player of the Year award. The Detroit Mercy senior was named the Freshman of the Year in 2014 and has earned All-Horizon League honors in each of the past two seasons. Thompson averages 76.9 strokes per round and won the NKU Fall Classic with a career low 220. She boasts four top10 finishes and seven top-20 outings.

Smith shares Women’s Player of the Year honors after posting a 76.76 scoring average and posting six top-five finishes this season. The Oakland senior was an all-conference selection a year ago and earned all-tournament accolades during her sophomore season.

Webb earned a share of the Men’s Player of the Year award after posting eight top-20 finishes, with a win, two top-fives and a pair of top-10 placements for Valparaiso. Now a three-time All-Horizon League performer, Webb was the 2014 Freshman of the Year and an all-tournament performer in 2015.

Wenzler was the league’s low scorer, averaging 71.74 strokes per round in 23 rounds of action. Wright State’s top golfer posted five top-five finishes among his seven top-20 placements. Wenzler was the Horizon League champion in 2016 and is now a three-time all-conference performer.

Youngstown State’s Reva Morris was named Horizon League Women’s Golf Freshman of the Year after a stellar first season that saw her lead the league in scoring average (75.9) and earn seven top-five finishes.

Alyssa Gaudio of Oakland and Nate Miklos of Youngstown State shared Women’s Coach of the Year honors.

Scott Sparks of Detroit Mercy was tabbed as the Men’s Freshman of the Year following an inaugural season in which he shot 75.65 over 26 rounds and a top-five and four top-20 finishes.

Cleveland State’s Steve Weir was voted Men’s Coach of the Year for a second consecutive season and for the fifth time overall.

In all, 10 men and 10 women were named to the all-conference teams with five players earning a spot on the first team and five on the second team.

The 2017 Horizon League Golf Championship will tee off Sunday at 7:30 a.m. ET at the Mission Inn Resort in Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla. Cleveland State is the defending men’s team champion. Oakland is the reigning women’s champion.

Fans can follow the Championship via Golfstat’s live scoring.
Men’s live stats
Women’s live stats

Women’s Golf Co-Players of the Year
Sarah Thompson, Detroit Mercy
Morgan Smith, Oakland

Women’s Golf Freshman of the Year
Reva Morris, Youngstown State

Women’s Golf Co-Coaches of the Year
Alyssa Gaudio, Oakland
Nate Miklos, Youngstown State

Women’s Golf First Team All-Conference
Kaylee Neumeister, Freshman, Cleveland State
Sarah Thompson, Senior, Detroit Mercy
Fiona Schmidt, Junior, Oakland
Morgan Smith, Senior, Oakland
Reva Morris, Freshman, Youngstown State

Women’s Golf Second Team All-Conference
Sophie Kelner, Junior, Cleveland State
Avery Steen, Senior, Green Bay
Sarah Kellam, Senior, Northern Kentucky
Ryleigh Waltz, Senior, Northern Kentucky
Angie Kim, Senior, Valparaiso

Men’s Golf Co-Players of the Year
Peter Webb, Valparaiso
Ryan Wenzler, Wright State

Men’s Golf Freshman of the Year
Scott Sparks, Detroit Mercy

Men’s Golf Coach of the Year
Steve Weir, Cleveland State

Men’s Golf First Team All-Conference
Patrick Luth, Senior, Cleveland State
Kyle Gaines, Senior, Detroit Mercy
Jacob Poore, Sophomore, Northern Kentucky
Peter Webb, Senior, Valparaiso
Ryan Wenzler, Senior, Wright State

Men’s Golf Second Team All-Conference
Anton Krecic, Sophomore, Cleveland State
Joe DuChateau, Senior, Green Bay
Jake Kneen, Junior, Oakland
Nick Seitz, Senior, Valparaiso
Austin Sipe, Senior, Wright State