Wednesday, April 17, 2024
by Thomas Lal

PORTLAND, Ore. –  A quartet of four-time selections lead a total of 17 players named to the 2024 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Men’s Golf Academic All-Conference Team, presented by Barnes & Noble College.

Including the four-time honorees, a total of nine players make their return to the team with one three-time selection and four two-time honorees. Nine players make their first appearance on the all-academic team, including the top GPA in the conference of 3.92.

2024 GNAC Men's Golf Academic All-Conference Team – Presented By Barnes & Noble College

Total Selections: 17 | Fourth-year: 4 | Third-year: 1 | Second-year: 4 | First-year: 8

*-2023 Selection | #-2022 Selection | !-2021 Selection

 The four-time selections are split across two programs with Montana State Billings and Northwest Nazarene each featuring two on their respective rosters. The Yellowjackets are represented by seniors Blake Finn and Paul O’Neil with their fourth consecutive selections to the team. Finn, a native of Big Timber, Mont., owns a 3.52 GPA while majoring in elementary education while O’Neil, a product of Laurel, Mont., was named to the team courtesy of a 3.36 GPA as a business administration major with a focus in marketing.

On the course, O’Neil has averaged 74.5 strokes per round to rank fifth for MSUB and tallied a top-five finish at the Yellowjacket Fall Invitational last October. Finn has compiled a 75.7 stroke average through the regular season with his best finish of the season coming at the Hardrocker Fall Invite last September.

Northwest Nazarene boasts two four-time honorees of its own in seniors Cole Evarts and Grayson Giboney. Evarts, a fifth-year veteran from Star, Idaho, owns the top GPA among the four-time selections with a 3.77 while pursuing an MBA. Giboney also earned his fourth selection while working toward an MBA as the Mukilteo, Wash., native owns a 3.50 GPA.

Giboney has been among the top golfers in the conference all season, notching a pair of top-five finishes and earning selection as the GNAC Player of the Week twice on his way to compiling a 73.1 stroke average that sees him rank third in the conference. Evarts checks in a No. 3 for the Nighthawks with 74.9 strokes per round on average and picked up his best result of the season with a tie for third at the Nighthawk Invitational on April 12-13.

The top academic mark in the conference belongs to Saint Martin’s sophomore Hewson Nguyen courtesy of a 3.92 GPA as a major in exercise science. Northwest Nazarene leads all programs with six selections to the all-academic team followed by Montana State Billings with five. Western Washington is represented by four honorees while Saint Martin’s has two members.

To qualify for the GNAC all-academic teams, nominees must be of sophomore eligibility or greater, have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.20 or greater on a 4.00 scale, be on the team roster for the full season and must be in their second year at the nominating institution.