May 12, 2011
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The Texas A&M men's golf team honored its 2010-11 regular season on Thursday as part of the annual Aggie Golf Day and Team Awards Ceremony at Traditions Club.
A&M has had a very strong season, finishing fifth or better in every tournament this year. The Aggies were the top American team at the season-opening Topy Cup of Japan and won two other tournaments, the Wyoming Desert Intercollegiate and the Aggie Invitational. Texas A&M placed second at the Big 12 Championship last month and earned the No. 1 seed at next week's NCAA Arizona Regional in Tucson.
Junior Jordan Russell claimed the Most Valuable Player Award. Russell, from College Station, leads the team with nine top-20 finishes, 7 top-5 finishes and his team-best 71.4 stroke average would be a school record if the season ended today. An All-Big 12 honoree and first-team Academic All-Big 12 selection, he set a school record with a second round 63 (-9) in the Topy Cup of Japan and matched a school best with a 13-under 203 in the event.
The Most Improved Player award winner was sophomore Case Cochran (Paducah, Ky.). Cochran appeared in seven tournaments, carding seven par-or-better rounds and posting a stroke average of 75.0. His 6-under 136 at the Royal Oaks Intercollegiate this fall was good for fourth place, his best outing of the season.
Cochran also won the B.K. and Jane Watson Academic Achievement Award for the second straight season. He sports a 3.95 grade point average while pursuing a degree in sport management.
Senior Nacho Elvira (Santander, Spain) received the Coach Bob Ellis Leadership Award, which is named for the long-time Aggie golf coach who oversaw the A&M program for 28 seasons. An All-Big 12 selection, Elvira ranks second on the team with a 72.1 stroke average and has placed in the top 10 of tournaments five times.
The Newcomer of the Year Award went to true freshman Greg Yates (Mansfield, Texas).
The top-seeded Aggies open action at the NCAA Arizona Regional on Thursday, May 18 at the Omni Tucson National Golf Course. The top five teams in the three-round event advance to the NCAA Championship, set for May 31-June 5 in Stillwater, Okla.
2010-11 TEXAS A&M MEN'S GOLF AWARD WINNERS
Most Valuable Player Jordan Russell
Most Improved Case Cochran
Newcomer of the Year Greg Yates
B.K. & Jane Watson Academic Achievement Case Cochran
Coach Bob Ellis Leadership Nacho Elvira