Trio of Men’s Golfers Earn All-Southland Conference Accolades
5/3/2018 1:01:00 PM | Men's Golf
Leyvani a second-team selection, Lopez tabbed 2018 Southland Freshman of the Year and lands spot on third team, Hendrix named honorable mention
All-Southland Conference release
FRISCO, Texas – Three Stephen F. Austin men's golfers claimed All-Southland Conference honors Thursday afternoon, released by the league office after a vote of the conference's head coaches and sports information directors. Junior Angelo Leyvani was named to the second team for his second consecutive All-Southland accolade, while Andy Lopez was tabbed as the 2018 Southland Freshman of the Year and landed a spot on the third team. The third Lumberjack to receive recognition was junior Jake Hendrix, who earned honorable mention acclaim.
After earning honorable mention his freshman campaign and being named All-Southland Third Team as a sophomore in 2017, Leyvani led SFA throughout the 2017-18 school year. His 74.10 scoring average in 30 rounds of play was the best mark among all 'Jacks as Leyvani claimed a total of five top-20 finishes, including three top-10 placements. He began the season with his best tournament to date, shooting a career-low 7-under 209 across three rounds at the Jim Rivers Intercollegiate in Ruston, Louisiana, including carding a career-best 6-under 66 in the second round. Placing second among 80 total golfers, which tied his career-best finish, Leyvani's 6-under 66 tied the third-lowest single-round score in program history. Shooting nine rounds at par or better over the course of the season, Leyvani tied for 10th among 61 total competitors at the Bearkat Invitational in Montgomery, Texas. The San Antonio, Texas, native completed 2017-18 by tying for fifth at the Southland Championship last week in McKinney, Texas, carding a three-day score of 7-over 223.
A native of Dallas, Texas, Lopez was impressive in his inaugural season of collegiate golf. He owned the second-lowest scoring average of any Lumberjack at 74.67 in 30 rounds played, earning a total of five top-20 placements, including three top-10 showings. Shooting at par or better in 11 rounds of golf, Lopez tied for seventh twice and tied for fourth once. He shot a career-low three-round score of 3-under 313 at the Jim Rivers Intercollegiate, carding par or better in each round and tying for seventh among 80 total golfers. At the Little Rock Intercollegiate in late October, Lopez tied for fourth among 66 total competitors with a three-day mark at even-par 216. His best tournament finish to date, Lopez notched a career-low 4-under 68 in the opening round to tie the lowest 18-hole score shot at the event. In late March, Lopez shot par or better in every round at McNeese's Lake Charles Invitational en route to tying for seventh place among a field of 61 golfers with a career-low tying three-round tally of 3-under 213. For his efforts in the month of March, Lopez was named Southland Men's Golfer of the Month, averaging a 72.33 score in nine rounds and posting two top-15 finishes, including a tie for 14th at SFA's own ORU/SFA Spring Break Challenge in Irving, Texas.
Hendrix came on strong down the stretch for the 'Jacks in 2017-18, averaging a 74.71 score in 21 rounds of golf. He owned three total top-20 finishes and placed in the top five once, shooting his career-low in two of the final three tournaments of the season. Hendrix competed as an individual at the Little Rock Intercollegiate and turned in a final score of 5-over 221, tying for 11th place among 66 total golfers. At the Lake Charles Invitational, Hendrix shot an impressive 3-under 69 in the opening round en route to tying for 14th with a career-low 54-hole score at even-par 216. Hendrix posted his best career finish at Sam Houston State's Bearkat Invitational in SFA's final regular season tournament of the season. Tying his career-low with a three-round total at even-par 216, Hendrix tied for third place and carded a career-low 5-under 67 in the final round to tie the fourth-lowest single round by any Lumberjack golfer in program history.
All three of SFA's All-Southland honorees played a key part in aiding the 'Jacks to five top-three team finishes in 2017-18. SFA completed the season with three-straight third-place showings, including finishing third at the 11-team Southland Championship in McKinney last week.
Stay tuned to SFAJacks.com, as well as SFA's social media platforms, for complete coverage of Lumberjack golf throughout the offseason.
2017-18 Southland Conference Men's Golf All-Conference Teams
Player of the Year: Lewis George, Central Arkansas
Freshman of the Year: Andy Lopez, Stephen F. Austin
Newcomer of the Year: Austen Christiansen, Sam Houston State
Coach of the Year: Brandt Kieschnick, Sam Houston State
First Team
Second Team
Third Team
2 Two-time All-Conference selection
3 Three-time All-Conference selection
^ 2018 Southland Championship top finisher
Honorable Mention: Jake Hendrix, Stephen F. Austin
-SFA-
FRISCO, Texas – Three Stephen F. Austin men's golfers claimed All-Southland Conference honors Thursday afternoon, released by the league office after a vote of the conference's head coaches and sports information directors. Junior Angelo Leyvani was named to the second team for his second consecutive All-Southland accolade, while Andy Lopez was tabbed as the 2018 Southland Freshman of the Year and landed a spot on the third team. The third Lumberjack to receive recognition was junior Jake Hendrix, who earned honorable mention acclaim.
After earning honorable mention his freshman campaign and being named All-Southland Third Team as a sophomore in 2017, Leyvani led SFA throughout the 2017-18 school year. His 74.10 scoring average in 30 rounds of play was the best mark among all 'Jacks as Leyvani claimed a total of five top-20 finishes, including three top-10 placements. He began the season with his best tournament to date, shooting a career-low 7-under 209 across three rounds at the Jim Rivers Intercollegiate in Ruston, Louisiana, including carding a career-best 6-under 66 in the second round. Placing second among 80 total golfers, which tied his career-best finish, Leyvani's 6-under 66 tied the third-lowest single-round score in program history. Shooting nine rounds at par or better over the course of the season, Leyvani tied for 10th among 61 total competitors at the Bearkat Invitational in Montgomery, Texas. The San Antonio, Texas, native completed 2017-18 by tying for fifth at the Southland Championship last week in McKinney, Texas, carding a three-day score of 7-over 223.
A native of Dallas, Texas, Lopez was impressive in his inaugural season of collegiate golf. He owned the second-lowest scoring average of any Lumberjack at 74.67 in 30 rounds played, earning a total of five top-20 placements, including three top-10 showings. Shooting at par or better in 11 rounds of golf, Lopez tied for seventh twice and tied for fourth once. He shot a career-low three-round score of 3-under 313 at the Jim Rivers Intercollegiate, carding par or better in each round and tying for seventh among 80 total golfers. At the Little Rock Intercollegiate in late October, Lopez tied for fourth among 66 total competitors with a three-day mark at even-par 216. His best tournament finish to date, Lopez notched a career-low 4-under 68 in the opening round to tie the lowest 18-hole score shot at the event. In late March, Lopez shot par or better in every round at McNeese's Lake Charles Invitational en route to tying for seventh place among a field of 61 golfers with a career-low tying three-round tally of 3-under 213. For his efforts in the month of March, Lopez was named Southland Men's Golfer of the Month, averaging a 72.33 score in nine rounds and posting two top-15 finishes, including a tie for 14th at SFA's own ORU/SFA Spring Break Challenge in Irving, Texas.
Hendrix came on strong down the stretch for the 'Jacks in 2017-18, averaging a 74.71 score in 21 rounds of golf. He owned three total top-20 finishes and placed in the top five once, shooting his career-low in two of the final three tournaments of the season. Hendrix competed as an individual at the Little Rock Intercollegiate and turned in a final score of 5-over 221, tying for 11th place among 66 total golfers. At the Lake Charles Invitational, Hendrix shot an impressive 3-under 69 in the opening round en route to tying for 14th with a career-low 54-hole score at even-par 216. Hendrix posted his best career finish at Sam Houston State's Bearkat Invitational in SFA's final regular season tournament of the season. Tying his career-low with a three-round total at even-par 216, Hendrix tied for third place and carded a career-low 5-under 67 in the final round to tie the fourth-lowest single round by any Lumberjack golfer in program history.
All three of SFA's All-Southland honorees played a key part in aiding the 'Jacks to five top-three team finishes in 2017-18. SFA completed the season with three-straight third-place showings, including finishing third at the 11-team Southland Championship in McKinney last week.
Stay tuned to SFAJacks.com, as well as SFA's social media platforms, for complete coverage of Lumberjack golf throughout the offseason.
2017-18 Southland Conference Men's Golf All-Conference Teams
Player of the Year: Lewis George, Central Arkansas
Freshman of the Year: Andy Lopez, Stephen F. Austin
Newcomer of the Year: Austen Christiansen, Sam Houston State
Coach of the Year: Brandt Kieschnick, Sam Houston State
First Team
| Name | Class | School | Hometown |
| Lewis George^ | Jr. | Central Arkansas | Cheshire, England |
| Blake Elliott | Jr. | McNeese | Murrieta, Calif. |
| William Holcomb | So. | Sam Houston State | Crockett, Texas |
| Jake McCrory | Sr. | Sam Houston State | Deer Park, Texas |
| Noah Steele | So. | Sam Houston State | Kingston, Ontario |
Second Team
| Name | Class | School | Hometown |
| Ian Berrigan2 | Sr. | McNeese | Helotes, Texas |
| Angelo Leyvani2 | Jr. | Stephen F. Austin | San Antonio, Texas |
| Joris Etlin | Jr. | Southeastern Louisiana | Frejus, France |
| Austen Christiansen | Jr. | Sam Houston State | Houston, Texas |
| Rodrigo Rivas | Sr. | Central Arkansas | Chile |
Third Team
| Name | Class | School | Hometown |
| Andy Lopez | Fr. | Stephen F. Austin | Dallas, Texas |
| Carlos Trevino2 | Sr. | Houston Baptist | Monterrey, Mexico |
| Alex Clouse | Fr. | Abilene Christian | Flower Mound, Texas |
| Garret Glanton | Jr. | Abilene Christian | Dallas, Texas |
| Albert Badosa-Soler2 | Sr. | Nicholls | Girona, Spain |
2 Two-time All-Conference selection
3 Three-time All-Conference selection
^ 2018 Southland Championship top finisher
Honorable Mention: Jake Hendrix, Stephen F. Austin
-SFA-
Players Mentioned
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