April 28, 2009
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - One week after winning the Conference USA Championship, the UCF men's golf team dominated the league's awards Tuesday. Freshman Blayne Barber (Lake City, Fla.) was named both the C-USA Golfer and Freshman of the Year, while junior Simon Ward (County Monaghan, Ireland) was voted newcomer of the year and Nick Clinard was named the league's coach of the year.
One of the nation's premier players, Barber finished second at the C-USA Championship in Sorrento, Fla. In 2008-09, he has posted seven top-10 finishes in 10 events, highlighted by the individual title at the Rio Pinar Invitational in Orlando in February. The freshman garnered C-USA Golfer of the Week honors on three occasions.
Ward, who is in his first campaign at UCF after receiving his undergraduate degree from Ulster University in Ireland, won medalist honors at the C-USA Championship. In addition to finishing first at the C-USA Championship, he also tied for first at the SunTrust Gator Invitational in Gainesville in February.
Clinard has led the Knights to one of the top campaigns in school history. His squad has won three events and was ranked as high as No. 14 in the nation in March. UCF is currently ranked 20th nationally. After claiming the C-USA title, the Knights received the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Championship, which will begin May 14.
The awards were voted on by the league's 11 head coaches.
Barber and Ward were also selected to the All-C-USA First Team.
Senior David Johnson (Palm Bay, Fla.) and redshirt freshman Brad Schneider (Valrico, Fla.) earned spots on the All-C-USA Second Team. Both players have competed in all 11 events for the Knights this year. Johnson has recorded three top-10 finishes. He tied for 11th at the C-USA tournament.
Schneider has two top-10 showings on the campaign. Along with Barber, he was voted onto the C-USA All-Freshman Team.
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Golfer of the Year
Blayne Barber, UCF
Freshman of the Year
Blayne Barber, UCF
Newcomer of the Year
Simon Ward, UCF
Coach of the Year
Nick Clinard, UCF
All-Conference First Team
Kelly Kraft, SMU
Nicolas Geyger, Tulsa
Zach Sucher, UAB
Blayne Barber, UCF
Simon Ward, UCF
All-Conference Second Team
Andre Thorsen, East Carolina
Jordan Payne, Memphis
James Kwon, SMU
Rob Laird, Tulsa
David Johnson, UCF
Brad Schneider, UCF
Roger Sloan, UTEP
All-Freshman Team
Jake Colley, ECU
James Kwon, SMU
Arie Fauzi, Tulsa
Blayne Barber, UCF
Brad Schneider, UCF