Lewellen, Neuhauser and Nielson Earn Postseason Golf Honors

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Charlottesville, VA Virginia women’s golf coach Kim Lewellen and two of her players have picked up postseason honors by the National Golf Coaches Association. After leading Virginia to a best-ever eighth-place finish at the NCAA Championships, Lewellen was named one of three regional coaches of the year.

Neuhauser, a junior from Barboursville, Va. and Nielson, a sophomore from Nashville, Tenn., were named honorable mention All-Americans. Neuhauser was also named to the All-East Region team.

Lewellen received the East Region coach of the year honor. Purdue’s Devon Brouse was the Central Region coach of the year and Arizona State’s Melissa Luellen was tabbed the West Region coach of the year. Luellen also picked up national coach of the year honors after guiding the Sun Devils to the NCAA Championship.

Having just completed her second season at Virginia, it marks the second straight year Lewellen has received postseason honors. Last year she was selected the ACC Coach of the Year.

Nielson was sixth at the NCAA Championships, shooting 1-under par over the final 36 holes of the event. She led or shared the lead in scoring for UVa in six of its final tournaments of the season.

An All-ACC selection, Nielson was second on the team in stroke average at 73.52. She was 11th at the NCAA East Regional and was named the ACC’s Golfer of the Month for March. She led the team with six top-10 finishes this season.

Neuhauser led UVa with a 73.42 stroke average and earned All-ACC honors this year. She was eighth at the NCAA East Regional and was 54th at the NCAA Championships. She led the team with 11 rounds of par or better.

After finishing the 2008 season ranked No. 248, Neuhauser was named Golfworld’s “Most Improved Player” at the midseason break. She was ranked as high as No. 5 by Golfweek in mid-March.

Here is the complete list of award winners and NGCA All-Americans:

PING NGCA Division I Player of the Year
Maria Hernandez – Purdue University

NGCA Division I Freshman of the Year
Jennifer Song University of Southern California

Golfstat Cup
Jennifer Song University of Southern California

Dinah Shore Trophy Award
Amanda Blumenherst Duke University

NGCA Division I Kim Moore Spirit Award
Missy Farr-Kaye Arizona State University

Edith Cummings Munson Golf Award
Azahara Munoz – Arizona State University

Division I SkyCaddie NGCA National Coach of the Year
Melissa Luellen – Arizona State University

Division I SkyCaddie NGCA Regional Coaches of the Year
East Region: Kim Lewellen – University of Virginia and Cathy Mant – Georgia State University (co-recipients)
Central Region: Devon Brouse Purdue University
West Region: Melissa Luellen – Arizona State University

NGCA Assistant Golf Coach of the Year
Jo Jo Robertson Purdue University

Duramed NGCA Division I All-American Teams
1st Team
Jane Chin – University of California Irvine
Carlota Ciganda – Arizona State University
Jodi Ewart – University of New Mexico
Caroline Hedwall – Oklahoma State University
Maria Hernandez – Purdue University
Stephanie Kono – UCLA
Azahara Munoz – Arizona State University
Lizette Salas – USC
Candace Schepperle – Auburn University
Jennifer Song USC
Maria Jose Uribe UCLA

2nd Team
Amanda Blumenherst – Duke University
Nannette Hill – Wake Forest University
Cindy LaCrosse – University of Louisville
Maude Aimee Leblanc – Purdue University
Jennie Lee – Duke University
Pernilla Lindberg – Oklahoma State University
Megan McChrystal – Louisiana State University
Belen Mozo – USC
Juliana Murcia – Arizona State University
Stephanie Sherlock – University of Denver
Glory Yang UCLA

Honorable Mention
Kathleen Ekey – University of Alabama
Pia Halbig – University of California Berkeley
Mallory Hetzel – University of Georgia
Tiffany Joh UCLA
Alice Kim – University of California Davis
Laura Kueny – Michigan State University
Camilla Lennarth – University of Alabama
Caroline Masson – Oklahoma State University
Lisa McCloskey – Pepperdine University
Erica Moston – San Jose State University
Whitney Neuhauser – University of Virginia
Calle Nielson – University of Virginia
Jennifer Osborn – Arizona State University
Natalie Sheary – Wake Forest University
Marta Silva – University of Georgia

NGCA All-East Region Team

East Region
Marina Alex – Vanderbilt University
Stephanie Connelly – University of Central Florida
Katie Kempter – University of Denver
Camilla Lennarth – University of Alabama
Nathalie Mansson – University of Tennessee
Whitney Neuhauser – University of Virginia
Brooke Pancake – University of Alabama
Candace Schepperle – Auburn University
Stephanie Sherlock – University of Denver
Dawn Shockley – University of Denver