St. Paul, Minn. -- Ten Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) individuals have received men's golf awards from the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA).
Three golfers from Saint John's University were named Division III PING All-Americans. Senior Ben Vangsness (Alexandria, Minn.) and first-year Mark Giorgi (Red Wing, Minn.) were both second team All-America selections. Johnnie sophomore Tony Krogen (Marshall, Minn.) was chosen for the All-America third team. Vangsness, Giorgi, and Krogen were also named to the PING All-Central Region team along with Concordia College sophomore Pat Dietz (Moorhead, Minn.)
Giorgi also earned the 2010 Phil Mickelson Award, presented by the Phil and Amy Mickelson Foundation, as the most outstanding freshman in Division III men’s golf. Giorgi was previously named the Central Region Freshman of the Year and was selected for the six-person GCAA All-Freshman Team.
Five MIAC men's golfers were named to Division III Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-America Scholars. Gustavus Adolphus College's A.J. Olson (Sr., White Bear Lake, Minn.), Concordia's Erik Weiss (Sr., Moorhead, Minn.), Saint John's Ben Cahill (Jr., Grand Rapids, Minn.), and St. Olaf College's Christopher Conklin (Jr., Eden Prairie, Minn.) and William Utter (Jr., Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata) all received the honor. To be eligible for the award, an individual must be a junior or senior academically and compete in at least two full years at the collegiate level, participate in 70-percent of his team’s competitive rounds or compete in the NCAA Championships, have a stroke average under 79.0 in Division III and maintain a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.2. A recipient must also be of high moral character and be in good standing at his college or university.
Saint John's University head coach Bob Alpers earned Eaton Golf Pride Central Region Coach of the Year honors for the fourth time in his career. He has guided the Johnnies to eight MIAC titles and 11 consecutive NCAA appearances, including back-to-back national championships in 2007 and 2008, in 17 seasons with the Johnnies. SJU has finished in the top 10 at the NCAA Division III Championship in nine of the 11 appearances. Alpers earned MIAC Coach of the Year honors for the eighth time in 2010.
Division III PING All-Americans
Division III All-Freshman Team
Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-America Scholars
Division III PING All-Region Teams
Division III Regional Coaches of the Year
Phil Mickelson Award