Mid-Season Awards

Except for the handful of schools spending Thanksgiving in Hawaii at the Aloha Purdue Collegiate—rough life, playing college golf, huh?—the first half of the 2006-07 campaign has come and gone. With roughly 10 weeks to catch their breath before beginning the spring march to the NCAA Championship, players and programs must assess where they stand overall and consider how to repeat any success from the fall or recover from a disappointing start to the season.

And just who, exactly, will be doing the repeating and who is looking at recovering? Gaze no further than Campus Insider’s second annual Mid-Season Awards package, a compendium that serves as both a review of the season to date and a primer for what’s to come when players tee it up again in late January.

MID-SEASON PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

Men: Dustin Johnson, Coastal Carolina

Since first grabbing people’s attention with a victory at the NCAA East Regional in 2005, the 6-foot-4 native of Myrtle Beach, S.C., has proved you don’t have to play for a traditional power to succeed. This fall, however, Johnson has risen to the head of the class, winning the Coca-Cola Duke Classic and winding up as the top American at the International Collegiate, along with finishing no worse than T-8 in his four stroke-play events. In the process of posting a 70.33 stroke average, the senior has shot nine sub-par rounds and just one higher than a 73.

Honorable mention: Colt Knost, SMU

Three wins, five top-10s and one serving of crow

Women: Caroline Westrup, Florida State

The only thing that derailed the sophomore from Ahus, Sweden this fall was an illness that forced her to withdraw mid-way through the Derby Invitational. Otherwise, Westrup’s second-place finish at the Cougar Classic and a share of medalist honors at the Lady Tar Heel Invitational helped her record a nation’s best 71.71 adjusted scoring average. To compliment her collegiate success, she also was the unofficial individual champion at the Women’s World Team Amateur Championship last month in South Africa while leading her country to a second-place showing.

Honorable mention: Taylor Leon, Georgia

Three top-four finishes, 71.55 scoring average, 90.4 percent fairways hit

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MID-SEASON COACHES OF THE YEAR

Men: Jay Seawell__, Alabama

By his own admission, the 40-year-old doesn’t have a superstar in his line-up, but with five of the six players who’ve teed it up for his team this fall sporting scoring averages of 72.17 or lower, he does have the deepest team in college golf. Thus explains the Crimson Tide’s three victories in their first four starts and their first appearance at the top of the Golf World Coaches’ Poll. After spending five years convincing anyone who would listen that Alabama could be a contender both in the SEC and nationally, he has developed a program that is a legitimate threat to win the NCAA title.

Honorable mention: Conrad Ray, Stanford

First time Cardinal have multiple All-American candidates since mid-1990s

Women: Martha Richards Freitag, Vanderbilt

Having established the Commodore program in her first four years in Nashville, claiming the school’s first SEC title in 2004 and best ever finish at nationals (fifth), only to see the momentum stop with a disappointing 2005 season, Freitag has Vanderbilt back among the elite. Consecutive wins at the Lady Tar Heel and Stanford before finishing runner-up to Duke at the Hooters Match Play Championship demonstrated her 2006-07 squad is more than just the combined strength of All-Americans Jacqui Concolino and Chris Brady.

__    Honorable mention: Todd McCorkle__, Georgia

Top-ranked Bulldogs proved to all that NCAA champ Duke wasn’t unbeatable.

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MOST SURPRISING PLAYER

Men: Matt Cook__, Western Carolina

True, he had already re-written the record book at the tiny school in Cullowhee, N.C., posting the Caramounts’ first and second best single-season scoring averages in his first two years on campus. Still few would have guessed the junior from Murphy, N.C., would have the best scoring average among all Division I players—69.33—after the fall season. Thus far in five events, Cook has three victories, bringing his career total to eight wins.

Honorable mention: Zack Miller, Stanford

Notched three fall wins after just two top-10s the past two seasons.

Women: Brianna Broderick, Michigan

A year after posting a 78.42 average and finishing no better than 12th in any tournament, the 22-year-old senior has a 73.42 average and four top-four finishes in four starts. Capping the turnaround was a playoff victory over Ohio State’s Dana Je at the Wolverine Invitational.

Honorable mention: Alison Walshe, Arizona

The chaos of a third school in three years hasn't hurt her game.

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MOST SURPRISING TEAM__

Men: Stanford

Honorable mention: Florida

Diaper rash, my butt, Coach Alexander.

Women: Denver

__    Honorable mention:__ North Carolina

Unranked in the preseason, now a solid top-20 team with three top-fives.

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MOST DISAPPOINTING PLAYER

Men: Seung-Su Han__, UNLV

Honorable mention: Webb Simpson, Wake Forest

Bound to slide after standout summer.

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Women: Dewi-Clarie Schreefel__, USC

The 2006 NCAA individual champion hasn’t given much indication she’s ready to defend her title, posting no better than a T-17 showing in three falls starts. Meanwhile, the junior’s 75.11 stroke average is only fourth best on the Trojans squad.

__    Honorable mention: Da Sol Chung__, UNLV

Just one top-five finish this fall after seven in 2005-06.

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MOST DISAPPOINTING TEAM

Men:__ Washington

Honorable mention: Wake Forest

Posted top-seven finishes in just two of five fall starts.

Women: Purdue

Honorable mention: California

Only one finish better than T-12 in four starts.

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MOST IMPROVED PLAYER

Men: Daniel Summerhays__, BYU

In 2005-06, the 22-year-old from Farmington, Utah, had a respectable 72.15 average in his first season back after serving a two-year Mormon mission. This fall, however, he has found a new gear, posting a 69.33 average and matching the NCAA 18-hole stroke record with a 60 at Golden Horseshoe at the Ping Preview. Nine of 12 rounds are under par compared to 18 of 39 a year ago.

Honorable mention: Joseph Sykora, Alabama

Average drops from 74.92 in 2005-06 to 70.17 this fall; wins Jerry Pate

Women: Catherine Matranga, TCU

The senior from Fort Worth has shaved more than three strokes off her average from a year ago, posting a 72.42 mark this fall with a win (Dick McGuire), a T-2 and two other top-20 finishes. Recall that in 2005-06, the 21-year-old had just two top-10s in 12 starts overall.

Honorable mention: Lauren Hunt, North Carolina

Average drops from 76.76 in 2005-06 to 73.91 this fall; wins Cougar Fall Classic

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BEST PLAYER YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF

Men: Derek Fathauer__, Louisville

The 20-year-old from Jensen Beach, Fla., had been as much curiosity as newsmaker in his first two years with the Cardinals, playing alongside identical twin brother Daryl (the two made a bit of history when both advanced to match play at the U.S. Amateur last August) and capturing the 2006 Big East individual title. This fall Derek continued to shine in anonymity, winning twice and finishing no worse than T-5 in five starts.

__    Honorable Mention: Brian Locke__, Loyola Marymount

Four wins in first 15 months of school, including two this fall

Women: Stephanie Sherlock, Denver

A two-sport high school star in Ontario, Sherlock saw her already stellar golf game (she was Canada’s top female junior in 2005) blossom this fall after hanging up her basketball hightops. With a victory in her first college start, the Oregon State Invitational, the 19-year-old followed it up with a T-5 and third-place showing in her next two events before closing the fall with a share of the title at the Lady Aztec Invitational.

__Honorable mention: Misun Cho __, Pepperdine

Has chance to be the Waves’ next great international player

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BEST PLAYER YOU’LL HEAR OF BY SEASON’S END

Men: Niklas Lemke__, Arizona State

Rival coaches feared the day when the mental game of the 22-year-old from Sweden would catch up with his physical talents. The senior, considered among the longest hitters in the college game, broke through with his first career victory at the Olympia Fields/Illini Invitational after finishing second at the Topy Cup, then posted a T-3 at the Ping Preview. “All the pieces are starting to come together,” said Lemke, a third-team All-American in 2006. “I know what I need to do to play good every tournament."

Honorable mention: Kyle Stanley, Clemson

Starting to get comfortable with the college game

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Women: Jacqui Concolino__, Vanderbilt

There’s no sophomore slump when talking about the 19-year-old from Orlando, whose worst finish this fall has been a T-11 after posting three top-10s. Concolino, the first freshman to earn All-American honors at Vanderbilt a year ago, can overpower a golf course like few in the women’s game, and has nine top-10s in 14 career starts to prove it. A T-4 in the Golf Daytona Beach Fall Preview at LPGA International, site of next May’s NCAA Championship, bodes well for Commodore fans.

Honorable mention: Anna Nordqvist, Arizona State

Sweden’s top junior has proved to be the real thing

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BIGGEST QUESTION MARK ENTERING THE SPRING

Men: Jonathan Moore__, Oklahoma State

It would have been difficult for anyone to continue the torrid play that the Cowboy sophomore showed last spring when he swept his final three events, including the NCAA Championship, and put to rest the horrible slump that accompanied him upon his initial arrival to Stillwater, Okla. Still, coach Mike McGraw will look for more than a T-18 and T-24 showing from Moore (who missed two other starts to play for the U.S. at the World Team Amateur Championship) if OSU is to become the first repeat champions in the men’s game since Houston in the mid-1980s.

Honorable mention: Charlie Beljan, New Mexico

If his back doesn’t give out, he can win the NCAA title.

Women: Belen Mozo, USC

The 2006 Ladies British Open Amateur champion from Spain is expected to enroll in the spring semester. Those who’ve seen her play believe she could provide a major boost for the Trojans, who slipped from their preseason top-10 spot this fall but now might have the depth to contend for a national championship. Individually, Mozo also could quickly get herself into the hunt for player-of-the-year honors.

__    Honorable mention: Anna Grezbien__, Duke

Can the former NCAA champ be the anchor Duke looks to need?

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GOLF WORLD* MID-SEASON ALL-AMERICAN TEAM

MEN__

Charlie Beljan, New Mexico, Sr.

Matt Cook, Western Carolina, Jr.

Rhys Davies, East Tennessee State, Sr.

Derek Fathauer, Louisville, Jr.

Brian Harman, Georgia, Soph.

Billy Horschel, Florida, Soph.

Dustin Johnson, Coastal Carolina, Sr.

Colt Knost, SMU, Sr.

Niklas Lemke, Arizona State, Sr.

Jamie Lovemark, USC, Fr.

Zack Miller, Stanford, Sr.

Daniel Summerhays, BYU, Jr.

WOMEN

Amanda Blumenherst, Duke, Soph.

Brianna Broderick, Michigan, Sr.

Jacqui Concolino, Vanderbilt, Soph.

Ashley Knoll, Texas A&M, Sr.

Taylor Leon, Georgia, Soph.

Stacy Lewis, Arkansas, Jr.

Catherine Matranga, TCU, Sr.

Anna Nordqvist, Arizona State, Fr.

Stephanie Sherlock, Denver, Fr.

Jenny Suh, Alabama, Sr.

Alison Walshe, Arizona, Jr.

Caroline Westrup, Florida State, Soph.

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GOLF WORLD* MID-SEASON ALL-FRESHMEN TEAM

MEN__

Jonathan Bowers, Northwestern

Joseph Bramlett, Stanford

Adam Long, Duke

Jamie Lovemark, USC

Stephan Stallworth, San Jose State

Kyle Stanley, Clemson

WOMEN

Misun Cho, Pepperdine

Jodi Ewart, New Mexico

Anna Nordqvist, Arizona State

Angela Oh, Tennessee

Stephanie Sherlock, Denver

Kate White, Nebraska

(All photos courtesy of schools' Sports Information Departments, except Han, Schrefeel; Seawell photo: Kent Gidley; Schreefel: Charles Laberge; Sherlock: Rich Clarkson and Associates)