Blanchet Headlines GSC Men's Golf All-Conference Honors
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – For the second straight season, West Florida’s
Chandler Blanchet has been named the Gulf South Conference’s Golfer of the Year. Mississippi College’s
Johnny Hsu has been named the GSC Freshman of the Year, while West Florida’s Steve Fell has been named GSC Coach of the Year.
As just a junior, Blanchet is now a two-time GSC Golfer of the Year and a two-time medalist at the GSC Championship. This year, he was unanimously selected as the GSC Golfer of the Year. Blanchet won this year’s tournament by a remarkable 11 strokes, posting a 12-under par 204. This season, Blanchet was dominant, winning six of the nine tournaments he played in and recording eight top five finishes overall. He had the conference’s lowest average score per round, averaging 68.84 strokes per 18 holes for a 2.76-under par average. Blanchet is the first person to win GSC Golfer of the Year in consecutive seasons since 2008-09 and the first person the medal the GSC Tournament in consecutive years since 1998-99.
Hsu wins GSC Freshman of the Year in a season where he was twice named the conference’s freshman of the month. Hsu had one win this season to go along with three additional top five finishes, and he also finished in the top 20 at the GSC Championship. He helped lead a big turnaround for the Choctaws, as MC finished fourth as a team at the GSC Championship this season, compared to a 10
th place finish last season.
Fell is a now a 14-time winner of GSC Coach of the Year and has won the award four times in the past five seasons. Fell guided the Argonauts to the top ranking in all of Division II and a 22-shot victory at the GSC Championship. It was the 15
th GSC Championship for the West Florida men’s golf team and the fifth straight conference title.
Blanchet and North Alabama’s
Forrest Knight are each making an all-conference team for a third time. They are the eighth and ninth golfers in conference history to earn all-conference distinctions three times.
| FIRST TEAM |
|
|
|
| Chandler Blanchet^* |
West Florida |
Jr. |
Gainesville, Fla. |
| Jacob Huizinga |
West Florida |
So. |
Orlando, Fla. |
| Matt Johnson |
Lee |
So. |
Manchester, Tenn. |
| Forrest Knight** |
North Alabama |
Sr. |
Clanton, Ala. |
| Shea Slyvester* |
Lee |
Sr. |
Roswell, Ga. |
| Henry Westmoreland IV^ |
West Florida |
Jr. |
Wacissa, Fla. |
| SECOND TEAM |
|
|
|
| Matt Anderson |
Valdosta State |
So. |
Lakeland, Fla. |
| Bryce Geraghty^ |
West Florida |
So. |
Gulf Breeze, Fla. |
| Corey Sheppard |
Lee |
Jr. |
Salisbury, England |
| Austin Sparks |
North Alabama |
Sr. |
Red Bay, Ala. |
| Patrick Twesme |
North Alabama |
Sr. |
Florence, Ala. |
| Adam Wright |
Lee |
Sr. |
Marietta, Ga. |
* Indicates previous First Team All-GSC selection
^ Indicates previous Second Team All-GSC selection
Golfer of the Year: Chandler Blanchet, West Florida
Freshman of the Year: Johnny Hsu, Mississippi College
Coach of the Year: Steve Fell, West Florida