April 17, 2008
Contact: Mike Christie, Assistant Commissioner

USA South Golf Awards Announced

(FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.) - The USA South Athletic Conference has announced its All-Conference awards for golf.  A total of 17 student-athletes have been named to the teams. Methodist University's Nick Bova is chosen as the Golfer of the Year and his coach, Steve Conley, is named Coach of the Year while Greensboro College's Josh Ryals earned Rookie Golfer of the Year honors. Also, for the first time, the USA South recognized an All-Sportsmanship Team, consisting of one member from each competing school. All honors are determined by votes from the golf coach at each institution.

Bova, a senior from Bloomington, Illinois, collects his second consecutive Golfer of the Year honor. In 16 rounds of play this season, he averaged a USA South-best score of 71.4. Bova recorded six top-10 finishes, four top-five finishes and four tournament wins. Bova's round of 66 at the Greensboro Invitational is good for the second-lowest round in the conference this season. For his efforts, Bova earns the fourth all-conference honor of his career as he receives first team accolades for the third consecutive season to go along with his second team placement in 2005. Finally, Bova earned USA South Golfer of the Week honors four times this season.

A freshman from Randleman, North Carolina, Ryals posted a 79.3 stroke average in 13 rounds this season. Ryals' best performance of the season came at the Greensboro Invitational as he finished with an 11-over par 155 by shooting a five-over par 77 on the first day and a six-over par 78 in the final round. For his efforts, Ryals also earned honorable mention all-conference honors and was named USA South Rookie Golfer of the Week once this season.

Conley is in his 21st year at the helm of the Monarchs and earns USA South Coach of the Year honors for the third consecutive season and the 15th time in his career. He has guided his team to a conference best 290.6 stroke average in 16 rounds this season. Methodist placed first in four events this season and finished in the top-five in each tournament it participated in.

Player of the Year
Nick Bova - Methodist

Rookie of the Year
Josh Ryals - Greensboro

Coach of the Year
Steve Conley - Methodist

The 2008 USA South Golf All-Conference Teams follow:

First Team Nick Bova - Methodist Matt Bova - Methodist Josh Cumming - Greensboro Brad Hartman - Averett Josh Schrader - Methodist	Second Team Tom Cooper - Methodist Malcolm Craig - Chris. Newport Jake Pleczkowski - Methodist Matt Wagner - Chris. Newport Nick Yates - Shenandoah
Honorable Mention Joseph Orsino - Shenandoah Josh Ryals - Greensboro Nick Sortino - Averett Ryan Stugis - N.C. Wesleyan	All-Sportsmanship Team Nathan Daly - Averett Matt Wagner - Chris. Newport Ryan Throckmartin - Ferrum Josh Ryals - Greensboro Nick Bova - Methodist Ryan Stugis - N.C. Wesleyan Chris Lambert - Shenandoah