SAC Men’s Golf Award Winners Headlined by Carson-Newman’s Ashby

ROCK HILL, S.C. - Carson-Newman senior Liam Ashby was named the 2012 SAC Men's Golf Player of the Year, headlining the list of conference award winners that was released on Friday.

The announcement of the awards comes in advance of the 2012 Food Lion SAC Golf Championship, which tees off on Monday morning at Rock Barn in Conover, N.C.

Ashby led the conference in adjusted scoring average this season at 72.67. The Dublin, Ireland native recorded one top-five finish and three top-20 finishes this season in eight events.

Ashby's best round of the year came at the Bearcat Golf Classic, where he fired a second-round 68 - which tied for the third-lowest round score in the conference this season.

He is joined on the All-SAC First Team by teammates Gavin Hay and Jonathan Kim Moss, Wingate's Brian Denton and Brevard's Kim Koivu.

Koivu finished second in the SAC in adjusted scoring average at 72.78, followed by Hay at 73.02, Denton at 73.09 and Moss at 73.24.

Koivu, who twice shot rounds of 66 to match Moss for the league's lowest round of the season, was also named the SAC Freshman of the Year.

Hay's top round of the 2012 season came at the Bobcat Invitational where he carded a first-round 67, while Denton's top performance of the year was a 67 in the first round of the Tusculum Invitational.

Lincoln Memorial's Eric Kennedy, Newberry's Matthew Campbell, Catawba's Matt Hardman and Wingate Clifford Blanquicet and Antoine LeSaux made up the All-SAC Second Team.

Wingate's Corey Iacofano was named the SAC Coach of the Year after leading the Bulldogs to a stellar regular season that included tournament titles at the Honda Columbia Fall Classic, The Myrtle Beach Intercollegiate and the Carolina Sands Intercollegiate.

Wingate also finished in the top five in five other events during the 2011-12 season.

SAC Men's Golf Player of the Year: Liam Ashby, Carson-Newman
SAC Men's Golf Freshman of the Year: Kim Koivu, Brevard
SAC Men's Golf Coach of the Year: Corey Iacofano, Wingate

All-SAC First Team

Liam Ashby, Carson-Newman
Brian Denton, Wingate
Gavin Hay, Carson-Newman
Kim Koivu, Brevard
Jonathan Kim Moss, Carson-Newman

All-SAC Second Team
Clifford Blanquicet, Wingate
Matthew Campbell, Newberry
Matt Hardman, Catawba
Eric Kennedy, Lincoln Memorial
Antoine LeSaux, Wingate