April 27, 2009

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina senior golfer Mark Silvers III was named the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year for men’s golf, the league announced today. Silvers joined junior George Bryan IV on the All-SEC Second Team, and Wesley Bryan was named to the All-Freshman team.

Silvers, a native of Savannah, Ga., and a three-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll, carries a 3.909 grade point average while majoring in finance. In addition, he was named a Cleveland Golf All-America Scholar in 2008. Through 10 events this season, the senior is second on the team (min. 10 rounds played) with a 73.25 stroke average. His best finish came at the General Jim Hackler Invitational where he tied for third place with a 291 (+3). He also picked up two other top-10 finishes on the year, a fourth-place showing at the Mason Rudolph Invitational and a seventh-place finish at the Rees Jones Intercollegiate, helping the Gamecocks to team titles in both events. He is ranked 18th in the SEC in scoring with a low round of 68 on three occasions.

George Bryan IV earned his second All-SEC honor in three years, adding a second-team selection to his first-team honor a year ago. The junior from Chapin, S.C., carries a 72.96 stroke average through 10 events with a low score of 65 at the Hootie at Bulls Bay Intercollegiate. Bryan has five top-10 finishes on the year, including a pair of runner-up showings at the Schenkel E-Z-Go Invitational (also a Carolina team victory) and the Hootie at Bulls Bay. He finished fourth at both the Rees Jones and the Cavalier Classic, and took a seventh-place finish at the Mason Rudolph Invitational.

Wesley Bryan, the younger brother of George, made an immediate impact on South Carolina golf as a freshman as he is third on the team with a 73.50 stroke average, earning a spot on the SEC All-Freshman team. Also a native of Chapin, Wesley Bryan tied with teammate Paul Woodbury for medalist honors at the Rees Jones Intercollegiate at 218 (+2), helping the Gamecocks to the team title. Bryan’s last two events have been his best since the Rees Jones victory as he earned a tie for 10th place at the SEC Championship and a 14th-place tie at the Cavalier Classic.

The league’s 12 coaches vote on the season-ending awards for men’s golf. Florida’s Billy Horschel was named SEC Golfer of the Year, and Arkansas head coach Brad McMackin was voted SEC Coach of the Year. Bud Cauley of Alabama earned the league’s Freshman of the Year honor.

Coach of the Year – Brad McMackin, Arkansas
Scholar-Athlete of the Year – Mark Silvers III, South Carolina
Golfer of the Year – Billy Horschel, Florida
Freshman of the Year – Bud Cauley, Alabama

FIRST-TEAM ALL-SEC
Billy Horschel, Florida, Sr.
Brian Harman, Georgia, Sr.
Russell Henley, Georgia, So.
Bud Cauley, Alabama, Fr.
Hudson Swafford, Georgia, Jr.
John Peterson, LSU, So.
Chris Paisley, Tennessee, Sr.
Harris English, Georgia, So.
Andrew Landry, Arkansas, Sr.

SECOND-TEAM ALL-SEC
George Bryan IV, South Carolina, Jr.
Robin Wingardh, Tennessee, So.
Adam Mitchell, Georgia, Sr.
Mark Silvers III, South Carolina, Sr.
Joe David, Mississippi, Fr.
David Lingmerth, Arkansas, Jr.
Tim McKenney, Florida, Jr.
Andy Winings, Kentucky, Sr.

ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
Joe David, Mississippi
Sean Dale, Mississippi
Bud Cauley, Alabama
Sang Yi, LSU
Wesley Bryan, South Carolina
Ethan Tracy, Arkansas
Hunter Hamrick, Alabama
Darren Renwick, Tennessee