May 9, 2011
Greensboro, N.C. – Georgia Tech, the 2011 Atlantic Coast Conference men’s golf champion, led the way by placing four players on the 2011 All-ACC men’s golf team, and head coach Bruce Heppler was named Coach of the Year in the conference as selected by a vote of the league’s head coaches.
Led by automatic member Paul Haley, the individual medalist at the ACC Championship, Georgia Tech is represented on the All-ACC team by James White, John-Tyler Griffin and Kyle Scott. Griffin and White made their second consecutive appearance on the team, while Scott and Haley are first-time honorees. This marks the sixth year that a team has placed four individuals on the All-ACC team. Georgia Tech placed four in 2005, Clemson in 2000 and 2003 and Wake Forest in 1975 and 1980.
All four Tech players on the all-conference team are ranked among the nation’s top 55 in the latest Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index – Griffin (9), Scott (12), White (17) and Haley (54). Griffin, Scott and White are the top three ACC players in the nation in that ranking.
“I’m very happy for these guys and gratified that the work they’ve put in this year has paid off for them and for our team,” said Heppler. “It’s been a fun year for them and an honor for me to coach them.”
Haley (ACC Championship, Yellow Jacket Classic) and White (United States Collegiate Championship, Puerto Rico Classic) each have won two tournaments this year, while the four players have combined for 13 top-5 finishes and 10 other finishes in the top 10 of various events.
Griffin (71.17), Scott (71.50) and White (71.62) rank among the conference’s top six in stroke average, while Haley (72.62) ranks 17th.
Heppler was named ACC Coach of the Year for the sixth time in 14 seasons as the Yellow Jackets’ head coach. Georgia Tech captured its third straight and 13th overall title at the ACC Men’s Golf Championship in April with a low team record score of 33-under par 831, and is currently ranked 2nd in the nation on the Golfweek/Sagarin Index, 4th in the Golfstat rankings. The Jackets also have won two other events, the United States Collegiate Championship and the Yellow Jacket Classic, and have finished in the top five in eight of 11 events.
Florida State, NC State and Wake Forest claimed two selections each on the All-ACC team. Seminoles’ Brooks Koepka, last year’s Co-Player of the Year captured his second-consecutive accolade, while teammate Drew Kittleson captured his second honor. NC State’s unanimous ACC Freshman of the Year selection Albin Choi appeared on the team for the first time and teammate Mitchell Sutton also garnered his first accolade. The Demon Deacons were represented by second-consecutive honoree Lee Bedford and first-time honoree Evan Beck. Duke’s Brinson Paolini made his first appearance on the team. Paolini was the 2010 ACC Freshman of the Year.
Virginia’s Ben Kohles, the 2011 ACC Player of the Year, made his second-straight appearance on the All-ACC team, while earning his second consecutive ACC Player of the Year award. Kohles was Co-Player of the Year in 2010 with Florida State’s Brooks Koepka.
NC State’s Albin Choi, selected as the 2011 Freshman of the Year, is the Wolfpack’s third such honoree, the most recent freshman of the year selection being Tim Clark in 1996.
2011 All-ACC Men's Golf Team(Listed alphabetically by school)
Name……………………… School……………… Yr………. Hometown Brinson Paolini…………….. Duke…………………. So………. Virginia Beach, Va. Drew Kittleson…………….. Florida State……….. Sr……….. Scottsdale, Ariz. Brooks Koepka…………….. Florida State……….. Jr……….. Wellington, Fla. John-Tyler Griffin…………. Georgia Tech………. Sr……….. Wilson, N.C. Paul Haley………………….. Georgia Tech………. Sr………. Dallas, Texas Kyle Scott…………………… Georgia Tech………. Sr……….. Johannesburg, South Africa James White……………….. Georgia Tech………. Jr……….. Acworth, Ga. Albin Choi………………….. NC State…………….. Fr………. Toronto, Ontario, Canada Mitchell Sutton……………. NC State…………….. So………. London, Ontario, Canada Ben Kohles…………………. Virginia………………. Jr……….. Cary, N.C. Evan Beck………………….. Wake Forest……….. So……….. Virginia Beach, Va. Lee Bedford………………… Wake Forest……….. Jr………… Cary, N.C.
ACC Player of the Year: Ben Kohles, Virginia ACC Freshman of the Year: Albin Choi, NC State (unanimous) ACC Coach of the Year: Bruce Heppler, Georgia Tech
