Golf Teams Earn Academic Honors

MIDLAND, MICH. – The Northwood University golf teams each had student-athletes recently earn academic honors.

A pair from the women's team earned Women's Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) All-America Scholar honors - Junior Marlies Klekner-Alt (Ottawa, Ont./E'Cole) and freshman Monica Gabriele (Missassauga, Ont./St. Joseph). The criteria for selection to the All-American Scholar Team are some of the most stringent in all of college athletics. The minimum cumulative GPA is 3.50 for the entirety of their collegiate career. Klekner-Alt finished the year with the best scoring average on the team (81.5) and earned three top-10 finishes on the season. Gabreile had a strong freshman campaign, playing in all 25 events while ending the year with a scoring average of 84.4.

On the men's side, junior Matt Benson (Grand Ledge, Mich.) was named a Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) Division II Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-America Scholar. To be eligible for the honor 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, have a stroke-average under 78.0 in Division II 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. Benson finished the season ranked third on the team in scoring average (76.5) while playing in every event last season for the Timberwolves.