Three Horizon League golfers earn All-American Scholar recognition from NCGA

July 18, 2006

Chicago, Ill. - Loyola junior Rachael Sinnen and Butler sophomores Niki Garden and Paige McCracken were among 371 student-athletes named to the 2005-06 National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA) All-American Scholar Teams, it was announced today. The teams are comprised of golfers from NCAA Division I, II and III.

The criteria for selection to the All-American Scholar Team are some of the most stringent in all college athletics. The minimum cumulative grade-point average is 3.50 (on a 4.00 scale) and student-athletes must have competed in at least 50 percent of the college's regularly scheduled competitive rounds during the year.

A finance major, Sinnen was named to the Horizon League Spring Academic Honor Roll and was also named to the Horizon League Women's Golf All-Academic Team. In 2005-06, Sinnen posted an 82.4 average in 19 rounds of competition. She tied for ninth place at the Horizon League Championships.

Garden, a pre-pharmacy major, earned All-Horizon League honors for the second consecutive year last spring. She was Butler's third-leading scorer with a 79.71 average in 2005-06, and she tied for third at the 2006 Horizon League Women's Golf Championship, won by Butler.

McCracken, who is an English Writing major, also was named to the All-Horizon League team this spring. She finished as Butler's fourth-leading scorer with an 80.44 average, and she tied with Garden for third place at the league championship.

The National Golf Coaches Association represents over 400 coaches throughout the United States and is dedicated to educating, promoting and recognizing both its members and the student-athletes they represent.

Information provided by Loyola University Chicago Office of Sports Information and Butler University Office of Sports Information