July 21, 2011

2010-11 NGCA All-Scholar Release

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - For the second consecutive season, Julia Hodgson, Kathleen Glavin, Sarah Mathews and Marissa Steen have received NGCA Division 1 All-American Scholar honors, as announced by the National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA) on Wednesday.

Rising-seniors Marissa Steen (4.0-Sports and Leisure Management) and Kathleen Glavin (3.87-Exercise and Sports Science) become three-time NGCA Academic All-Americans, having received the distinction each season since 2009.

Steen finished last season as Conference USA's runner-up, after carding a 54-hole total of 220 (+4) at the C-USA Championship in April. Glavin completed her junior campaign as the nation's runner-up in fairways hit, while finishing 21st individually at the C-USA Championship.

Rising-juniors Sarah Mathews (3.89-Accounting/International Business) and Julia Hodgson (3.62-Communications) become two-time recipients of NGCA Academic All-America honors.

Mathews, a Memphis native, battled a leg injury throughout the spring portion of her sophomore season, competing in just two events for the Lady Tigers. Despite injuries, she managed to lift the U of M to a team title at the Lady Eagle Invitational in March, carding an individual finish of 30th. Hodgson established herself as a solid contributor in her sophomore campaign, competing in all five spring events for the Lady Tigers. She finished the season with a final mark of 77.8 strokes per round.

"I am very proud of all of these young ladies' hard work and dedication," head coach Beth Harrelson said. "They have chosen to be the best student-athletes that they can be. The University and city should be proud."

The NGCA All-American Scholar awards require a minimum 3.50 cumulative GPA, while student-athletes must have competed in at least 50 percent of the team's regularly scheduled competitive rounds. Criteria for selection are among the most stringent in all of college athletics. The NGCA announced a total of 566 women's collegiate golfers in the three divisions to receive the honor this year.

The Lady Tigers women's golf team recently posted a cumulative GPA of 3.723 for the 2011-12 academic year. This tally was the highest GPA of any Tiger athletic program and the highest mark of any sport in Conference USA.