Nicholls’ Ryan O’Neil Tabbed Men’s Golf Student-Athlete of the Year
FRISCO, Texas – Nicholls’ Ryan O’Neil is the 2021-22 Southland Conference Men’s Golf Student-Athlete of the Year, the league announced Tuesday alongside the academic all-conference teams.
A two-time member of the Southland Commissioner’s Honor Roll, O’Neil owns a 3.51 GPA in business administration and is fresh off a runner-up finish at the 2022 Southland Men’s Golf Championships. With a three-day total of 217 (+1), he finished just one stroke behind individual medalist Joe Buenfeld.
O’Neil was one of just two golfers to shoot a sub-70 round at the event after carding a three-under 69 on day two. The junior from Charlotte, N.C., posted the third-lowest stroke average among the conference at 73.33 and finished in the top 15 at five of the team’s eight events.
Joining O’Neil as automatic selections to the all-academic first team are New Orleans’ Brady Bennett and Southeastern’s Logan Kuehn. HBU’s Ben Caton and Francis Marion’s Michael Rials grabbed the remaining two slots on the top squad.
HBU leads the way with three honorees in total, followed by Francis Marion and Nicholls with two spots apiece. Augusta, New Orleans and Southeastern round out the academic all-conference rosters with one selection each. Half of the honorees boast cumulative GPAs of at least 3.75, and the average GPA of the individuals is 3.64.
The all-academic teams are voted on by a head coach, sports information director and academic/compliance staff member from each Southland Conference institution. To be nominated for the academic all-conference teams, student-athletes must possess a 3.0 cumulative GPA and have completed one full academic year at the nominating institution.
The Southland Conference awards committee, which consists of one administrator from each of the eight member schools, votes for the student-athlete of the year. All Student-Athlete of the Year nominees must have earned at least a 3.2 GPA on a 4.0 scale and demonstrated athletics achievement for at least two years at the nominating institution.
2021-22 Southland Men’s Golf Academic All-Conference Teams
Student-Athlete of the Year: Ryan O’Neil, Nicholls
First Team
| Name |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown |
Major |
GPA |
| Michael Rials |
Francis Marion |
Sr. |
Florence, S.C. |
Finance/Economics |
3.75 |
| Ben Caton |
HBU |
Jr. |
St. Andrews, Scotland |
Finance |
3.96 |
| Brady Bennett* |
New Orleans |
Gr. |
Zachary, La. |
Finance |
3.52 |
| Ryan O’Neil^* |
Nicholls |
Jr. |
Charlotte, N.C. |
Business Administration |
3.51 |
| Logan Kuehn* |
Southeastern |
Sr. |
Lake Charles, La. |
Business Management |
3.00 |
Second Team
| Name |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown |
Major |
GPA |
| Brock Hoover |
Augusta |
So. |
Woodstock, Ga. |
Financial Services |
4.00 |
| Mitchell Vance |
Francis Marion |
Jr. |
Hartsville, S.C. |
Marketing |
3.09 |
| Mason Ghidina |
HBU |
Sr. |
Pekin, Ill. |
Finance |
3.85 |
| Michael Townsend |
HBU |
Sr. |
Montgomery, Texas |
Management |
4.00 |
| Martin Trochu |
Nicholls |
Jr. |
La Teste-de-Buch, France |
Business Administration |
3.74 |
^Student-Athlete of the Year
*Automatic Academic All-Conference Selection