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Sucher Earns C-USA Golfer of the Year, Smith Named First Team
April 23, 2008
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - UAB junior Zach Sucher has been tabbed the 2008 Conference USA Men's Golfer of the year, a day after capturing medalist honors and leading his team to the 2008 Conference USA Championship, league officials announced. Furthermore, teammate Brad Smith, who finished runner-up to Sucher for the C-USA individual title, was also tabbed to the first team. "This is a well deserving honor for both Brad and Zach," UAB head coach Alan Kaufman said. "Both of these guys have a tremendous work ethic and all their hard work has paid off. I am happy the head coaches from around the league have recognized their hard work and dedication." Sucher is the first UAB golfer to earn the league player of the year since former great Graeme McDowell captured the award in 2001 and 2002. Additionally, the Mobile, Ala. native becomes the third player in school history to earn the recognition, joining McDowell and Chris Devlin, who earned the accolade in 1997, 1999 and 2000. In the spring alone, Sucher claimed three individual titles, capped by this week's C-USA crown. He also recorded four top-10 finishes in six tournaments played during the spring campaign. The nation's 32nd-ranked golfer is averaging 71.30 strokes per round, which leads UAB and Conference USA. Furthermore, he has lowered his per round average to only 70.27 during the spring season. Sucher will enter the NCAA Regionals on a tear, having captured two straight medalist honors at the Bank of America Intercollegiate and the C-USA Championships. When factoring in his victory at the Azalea Amateur Invitational back on March 30, he has captured three straight individual titles.
Smith is also in the midst of a career year and most recently finished runner-up to Sucher at the 2008 C-USA Championship. The 2007 C-USA Newcomer of the Year captured his first-ever tournament win at UAB, when he earned medalist honors at the Shoal Creek Intercollegiate last fall. Smith has recorded five top-10 finishes and seven top-25 results this season, and is second on the team in scoring average (71.69). This marks the first time since the 2001 campaign that two Blazers earned first-team honors. That year, McDowell, Payton Osborn and Daniel Ozley each earned a nod on the first team. Sucher and Smith are joined on All-Conference USA First Team by a pair of UCF golfers, juniors Greg Forest and David Johnson, Memphis senior Ian Rochester and Houston senior Jordan Irwin. Grant Robbins of Memphis was named the Coach of the Year, SMU's Kelly Kraft was selected the Freshman of the Year and UCF junior David Johnson was voted the Newcomer of the Year, as voted on by the league's 11 head coaches. The Blazers will next be in action at the NCAA Regionals on May 15-17. The NCAA will announce which Regional, either the East Regional, Midwest Regional or West Regional, the team will travel to on May 5. 2008 C-USA MEN'S GOLF AWARDS Golfer of the Year Freshman of the Year Newcomer of the Year Coach of the Year All-Conference First Team All-Conference Second Team All-Freshman Team |
