H-SC's Agnew, W&L's Hurst, BC's Tackett also Honored

NELLYSFORD, Va. --- Virginia Wesleyan College secured a pair of top individual honors at the annual men's golf awards presentation at the ODAC Golf Tournament banquet as Evan Cox was tabbed the ODAC Player of the Year while Bryan Hearn earned Jack Jensen Coach of the Year accolades. Hampden-Sydney College first-year player Jamie Agnew was tabbed the ODAC Rookie of the Year, while Washington and Lee University's Conley Hurst picked up ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete laurels. Bridgewater College senior Eli Tackett garnered Ted Keller Sportsman of the Year accolades.

This year's All-ODAC Golf Teams have an air of youth to them as eight underclassmen dot the 19-person list. But that doesn't mean they have not been there before as eight players are repeat honorees, including four on the All-ODAC First Team. Guilford's Ty Palmer picks up his second straight top-team award, while Cox and W&L's Luke Farley move up from the All-ODAC Second Team in 2015. H-SC second-year player Alex Simmons made the biggest leap of any of the repeat award winners, moving up to the first team from the All-ODAC Third Team.

Cox, a sophomore from Ashland, Ky., is the driving force behind Virginia Wesleyan's climb up the ODAC ladder.  He owns the league's best per-round average at 72.8, having posted seven top-10 finishes in eight starts.  He won twice this season, picking up a victory at the season-opening Tom Kinder Memorial in the fall where he shot a blistering 7-under 137 that included an 8-under 64 in the opening round.  His other victory came the next week at the Shenandoah Fall Invitational.  Cox currently finds himself rated #21 in NCAA Division III by Golfstat. Entering the third and final round of the ODAC Men's Golf Championship, he leads the 50-man field by three strokes at 1-over par (71-74).

Hearn, in his fourth year guiding the Marlins golf program, joins Cox in making history at VWC as they are the first two ODAC Player and Coach of the Year honorees in Virginia Wesleyan golf history.  Hearn has seen his Marlins improve over the past several seasons, with them currently ranked 32nd in the country by Golfstat.  They entered the ODAC tournament 16.1 strokes better against their team average last season with a 298.8 mark, third-best in the league and just 1.1 strokes off Guilford's best mark.  Entering Tuesday's final round, VWC is three shots back of Washington and Lee in the ODAC championship team standings.

Agnew, a freshman from Fairfax, Va., stepped right into H-SC's lineup and became a consistent performer.  In seven starts this season, he has one top-10 showing and a 75.4 per round average, which ranks 10th in the league.  His top-10 effort came at the spring's first event, the TaylorMade-adidas Intercollegiate.  He placed seventh overall in a field that boasted several of the country's top squads, finishing at 8-over 224 (71-75-78).  He is currently tied for 15th thru two rounds of the ODAC Championships at 12-over (78-78).

Hurst, a junior from Little Rock, Ark., boasts a 3.872 grade point average as a history major.  He is a two-time honoree on the All-ODAC Academic, having also won this honor last season.  On the course, Hurst was a first team honoree last season and a second team choice his freshman year.  He adds a third team honor to his résumé this year.  He is currently 18th in the ODAC with a 75.9 per round average, having posted one top-five finish by tying for fourth at the Wynlakes Intercollegiate with a 144 even-par effort (73-71).  He is tied for 19th (+13) thru 36 holes at the ODAC championship.

Tackett, a senior from Roanoke, Va., sets an outstanding example for his teammates on and off the course.  A GCAA Clevelad Golf/Srixon All-America Scholar last season, Tackett has twice been honored as an All-ODAC Third Team choice, but moves up to the second team this year.  He owns a 76.9 per round average with two top-five showings in nine starts. He finished fourth at the Shenandoah Invitational and at the Glen Heath Shipbuilders Memorial.  He joins Hurst in a tie for 19th at 13-over par thru two rounds at Stoney Creek.

Listed below are the All-ODAC Men's Golf Awards.  For more information on ODAC golf, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the ODAC's home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com.  Don't forget to become a fan of the ODAC on Facebook and follow @odacathletics on Twitter.