July 27, 2017

Charlotesville, Va. – Three individual players and the Virginia men’s golf team have been recognized by the Golf Coaches Association of America for academic excellence. UVA seniors Derek Bard (New Hartford, N.Y.) and Jimmy Stanger (Tampa, Fla.) and junior Danny Walker (Bradenton, Fla.) have been named Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-America Scholars for their performance in the classroom and the entire team was recognized as an All-Academic Team for posting a grade point average of at least 3.0.

It marked the second consecutive season Bard and Stanger received the honor.

All three players had previously been named to the ACC All-Academic Team and the ACC Honor Roll and Stanger was honored as the ACC Men’s Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

A 2017 graduate from Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce, Stanger earned PING/GCAA All-America first-team honors during his final season with the Cavaliers, becoming the first player in program history to be a first-team selection.

An All-ACC selection, he won the 2017 ACC individual championship and placed 11th at the NCAA Championships. He led the Cavaliers with a 70.82 stroke average and posted six top-10 finishes in 11 events.

An All-ACC selection, Bard was also picked to the PING All-Region Team. He was second on the team with a 71.44 stroke average. Walker played in all 13 UVA tournaments and was fourth on the squad with a 72.77 stroke average.

Stanger and Bard and scheduled to play in the U.S. Amateur Championships Aug. 14-20 at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif.

A total of 260 players in Division I, 108 in Division II and 20 in NAIA earned the honor. Additionally, 46 honorees were added to the previously released Division III Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-America Scholars.

To be eligible for Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-America Scholar status, an individual must be a junior or senior academically, compete in at least three full years at the collegiate level, participate in 50 percent of his team’s competitive rounds or compete in the NCAA Championships, have a stroke-average under 76.0 in Division I, 78.0 in Division II, 77.0 in NAIA and 79.0 in Division III, and maintain a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.2. A recipient must also be of high moral character and be in good standing at his college or university.