By: By Al Barba
All-Academic Team (PDF)
MACON, Ga. – Kennesaw State junior
Jimmy Beck was named Atlantic Sun Conference Men's Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year, following a vote of the conference's sports information directors, it was announced on Wednesday (May 1).
Beck becomes the second consecutive Kennesaw State golfer to receive the honor, joining
Ben Greene who was honored last year. The Columbus, Ga., native was joined on the five-man team by junior teammate
Austin Vick.
A day after being named to the A-Sun Conference's All-Conference team, Beck and Vick's selections to the all-academic team increases the number of Kennesaw State All-Academic honorees to seven since the award was instituted prior to 2012.
"Jimmy could not be a better ambassador for the term 'student-athlete'. He truly takes great pride in both his academics and golf," Kennesaw State head coach #Jay Moseley said. "Jimmy is disciplined in everything he does and as a result, he has achieved great success.
"To compliment his work ethic, he is also very humble and has a positive influence on those around him," Moseley added. "I am very proud that we have had back-to-back A-Sun Conference Scholar-Athletes of the Year."
Majoring in finance, Beck has accumulated a 3.75 grade-point average while leading the Owls to an anticipated fourth consecutive NCAA Division I regional berth.
Beck tops the Owls with a 72.42 stroke average and has registered a team-high eight top 20 finishes, including five top 10 showings. His best finish of the season was a tie for first at The Farms Collegiate Invitational in February.
Vick, who is majoring in finance and has posted a 3.49 GPA, ranks third on the Kennesaw State team with a 73.53 stroke average and three top 10 showings. His best finish was a tie for second at the A-Sun Conference Championships.
"Austin is another great representative of the term student-athlete," Moseley said. "He has shown a dedication and work ethic toward his academics and golf, and I am happy to see him acknowledged for his accomplishments."
Kennesaw State is expected to receive an at-large bid to its fourth consecutive NCAA Division I Championships and fourth overall. The Owls will be seeking their second appearance in the finals after advancing to the 2011 championships and finishing 26th out of 30 teams.
The announcement of the entire 81-team field for the 2014 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships will be held on Monday, May 5 at 10 a.m. (ET), and air live on the Golf Channel. The announcement will also be available on the Golf Channel's website at
www.golfchannel.com.
The tournament will open with six 54-hole regionals that will be hosted by Auburn, Missouri, North Carolina State, Northern Illinois, Oregon and Texas-San Antonio May 15-17. The top five teams and low individual not on those teams from each regional will advance to the finals.
The NCAA Championships will be conducted May 27 through June 1 at Prairie Dunes Country Club in Hutchinson, Kan.
Keep up with Owls men's golf by following KSU on Twitter @KSUOwlNation and @KSUOwlsMensGolf or by liking Kennesaw State Owls on Facebook. - #GoKSUOwls -
