CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. - The University of South Alabama women's golf team’s hard work in the classroom was rewarded Monday as it was the recipient of the 2006-2007 National Golf Coaches Association All-Scholar Team GPA Award. The award recognizes the women's collegiate golf program with the highest collective team grade point average, which includes all of the team's student-athletes for the 2006-2007 season. South Alabama's eight team members had an average GPA of 3.799, the highest in the nation.
“It's a tremendous honor and well deserving for the girls, because they have worked hard on the golf course and obviously the classroom,” said head coach T.J. Jackson. “They balance a full load between school and athletics and this kind recognition shows what kinds of team we have at South Alabama. Academics are a very high priority on our team along with their golf game.”
USA was one of three Sun Belt programs to rank in the Top 25 in this year’s poll, joining UALR (18th) and Denver (22nd). Last season, the Jags finished in the top five nationally tying for third with St. Olaf College.
“They really stepped it up this year, improving from third last year to first this year in a very wide range of majors,” added Jackson. “We have girls from biology to education to business. This is a very well-rounded group of girls. I am just so proud of how hard they worked this year in the classroom and on the golf course.”
Members of the 2006-07 Jaguar squad include seniors Elin Andersson, Brooke Hubbard and Michele Toth, juniors Alexis Beard, Sara Marti and Sally Miller, and sophomores Shirley Harvey and Darah Newell.
Founded in 1983, the NGCA is a non-profit organization consisting of women’s collegiate golf coaches. The association rewards the All-Scholar Team each year in July to promote the competition of collegiate golf for women and rewards golf team’s performance in the class room. The NGCA is represented by over 400 coaches in all divisions of NCAA to promote both the student-athletes and coaches they represent.
The NGCA Top 25 for 2006-2007 Team GPA. They are as follows:
1. University of South Alabama - 3.799
2. Illinois Wesleyan University - 3.774
3. Carleton College - 3.749
4. University of Indianapolis - 3.720
5. University of Nebraska - 3.705
6. Bradley University - 3.678
7. Nova Southeastern University - 3.674
8. Wheeling Jesuit University - 3.673
9. Marshall University - 3.652
10. Middlebury College - 3.638
11. Bowling Green State University - 3.637
12. Appalachian State University - 3.631
13. Lynn University - 3.630
14. University of South Carolina - 3.630
15. St. Mary's University - 3.617
16. Longwood University - 3.616
17. Indiana State University - 3.596
18. University of Arkansas-Little Rock - 3.593
19. Amherst College - 3.589
20. Simpson College - 3.569
21. Murray State University - 3.553
22. University of Denver - 3.544
23. Wartburg College - 3.540
24. Southwest Minnesota State University - 3.530
T25. Kent State University - 3.528
T25. University of Texas - Pan American - 3.528
