April 23, 2008
COLUMBIA – South Carolina sophomore Bénédicte Toumpsin was named first-team All-Southeastern Conference, the league announced today. Ranked seventh in the conference with a 74.07 stroke avearge, Toumpsin is the first Gamecock to earn a spot on the All-SEC first team since Adrienne Gautreaux in 2004.
“Bénédicte is an extremely talented player,” South Carolina head coach Kalen Anderson said. “She is a player that will accomplish a lot over the rest of her career. I expect this to be just the beginning of the honors and awards in her future.”
The SEC uses Golfstat rankings to determine the eight players on its All-Conference first and second teams. Toumpsin is 31st in the nation by that measure, giving her first-team status in the league. She is coming off a third-place finish at last week’s SEC Championship, the highest showing by a Gamecock since Kristy McPherson took third in the 2003 event.
Toumpsin has collected four top-five finishes this season, claiming third in the Lady Puerto Rico Classic, fourth at the Cougar Classic and fifth in the LSU/Cleveland Golf Classic in addition to her SEC Championship outing. She was the Gamecocks’ leading scorer in eight of nine tournaments this season.
Arkansas senior Stacy Lewis, the SEC individual champion, was named Golfer of the Year and Scholar-Athlete of the Year in voting by the league’s coaches. Florida’s Jill Briles-Hinton was named Coach of the Year with the Gators putting a league-high three players on the All-Conference first team. Auburn’s Cydney Clanton, who is 20th in the Golfstat Standings, was tabbed Freshman of the Year.
First-Team All-SEC
Kathleen Ekey, Alabama, Jr.
Stacy Lewis, Arkansas, Sr.
Cydney Clanton, Auburn, Fr.
Whitney Myers, Florida, Sr.
Jessica Yadloczky, Florida, Fr.
Hannah Yun, Florida, Fr.
Dori Carter, Mississippi, Jr.
Bénédicte Toumpsin, South Carolina, So.
Coach of the Year Jill Briles-Hinton, Florida Scholar-Athlete of the Year Stacy Lewis, Arkansas Golfer of the Year Stacy Lewis, Arkansas Freshman of the Year Cydney Clanton, Auburn