May 7, 2009

Golf coaches announce award winners

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Senior Greyson Painter and junior Megan Bradford have each been named the Most Valuable Player of their Tennessee Tech golf team, and several additional team awards were distributed to wrap up the 2008-09 season.

Men’s first-year coach Craig King announced Painter as the winner of the second annual Gilbert Darcy Most Valuable Player Award, named to honor the father of former TTU golf captain Randy Darcy. Women’s first-year coach Brandy Stout announced team awards for her squad.

Painter, a senior from Carthage, Tenn., led the Golden Eagles with a 74.2 stroke average while playing 25 tournament rounds. He posted eight rounds of par or better, and earned two Top 10 finishes. He earned on all-tournament honor with a second place finish in the Sea Trail Invitational, and was Tech’s top finisher at the OVC Championships, placing 22nd overall. His second round 68 at the UTM Skyhawk Invitational in October was the team’s low round of the year.

Wes Korth, a junior from Cookeville, won the Most Improved Player award, averaging 75.8, shooting 25 rounds while playing in nine tournaments. Josh Simer, a senior from Bolivar, Tenn., received the Most Dedicated Player honor after finishing third on the team with a 75.1 average.

The Impact Award, which typically goes to a first-year player, instead went to Jared Dunn, a senior from Cookeville, who returned to action after a redshirt season. Dunn qualified to compete in eight tournaments in 2009 and scored a 75.6 average.

The team's other two awards went to Jake Heatherly and Cassetty. A senior from Jacksboro, Tenn., Heatherly earned the Long Hitter Award. Cassetty, a sophomore from Whitleyville, Tenn., won the Best Putter Award.

Painter and fellow senior Calvin Clark served as team captains.

In women's play, Bradford captured the MVP award and also had the team’s low average of 77.2 through 24 rounds in 10 tournaments. Bradford was a first-team all-OVC selection and earned all-tournament honors at the OVC Championships after finishing second. The junior from Jackson, Tenn., finished the year with four all-tournament honors in all, including Top five finishes at the Draper Valley Invitational, the Murray State Invitational, and the Kennesaw State Invitational.

Carley Rhyne, a sophomore from Powell, Tenn., won the Most Improved Player Award, finishing her second season with an 80.9 average. Rhyne also won the Impact Award. The Most Dedicated Award went to Diana Carson, a junior from LaFollette, Tenn., who was fourth on the team in scoring, averaging 80.8.

Madison Denman, a senior from Riverwatch, Tenn., earned the Best Putter Award, while Ashley Spangler, a senior from Soddy Daisy, Tenn., captured the Long Hitter Award.

Seniors Maegan Sullivan, Carla Hazelwood, Spangler and Denman served as team captains for the 2008-09 season.