April 24, 2008

McNeese State senior Sigmundur Masson has been named the Southland Conference golfer of the year.

The Reykjavik, Iceland native, who just last week tied for the league's title at the annual conference tournament, edged Lamar's Casey Clendenon for the award.

He's the first Cowboy to ever win the player of the year title. Tim Graham won three league championships in the 1970s but no player of the year was selected then.

Masson led McNeese throughout the year with a 73.2 scoring average and he posted a 72.5 average this past spring. Besides tying for the league title, he also won the Hal Sutton tournament and had five top five finishes for the full year.

Masson heads the all-conference first team that also includes Clendenon, Scott Kelly of Sam Houston State, Bobby Massa of UT Arlington and Scotty Campbell of Central Arkansas.

Kelly was named freshman of the year, Campbell was the newcomer of the year and Brian White, who led Lamar to the conference title, was named coach of the year.

Second team all-SLC members included Justin Hardin and Hughes Joannes of Lamar, Matthew Carvell of Southeastern Louisiana, Zack Reeves of UT Arlington and Gideon Pienaar of Central Arkansas.

Named to the third team were Russell Helson of Lamar, Graham Benson of Southeastern Louisiana, Corey Roberson of Texas State, Michael Van de Venter of UT Arlington and Kyle Robbins of Stephen F. Austin.

Masson is also the Cowboys first, first team all-conference selection since Adrien Mork in 2001.

2008 ALL-SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE MEN'S GOLF TEAMS

FIRST TEAM

Sigmundur Masson - McNeese State Sr. Reykjavik, Iceland

Casey Clendenon - Lamar Sr. Katy, Texas

Scott Kelly - Sam Houston State Fr. Kingwood, Texas

Bobby Massa - UT Arlington So. Irving, Texas

Scotty Campbel - Central Arkansas Sr. Conway, Arkansas

SECOND TEAM

Justin Harding - Lamar Jr. Cape Town, South Africa

Matthew Carvell - Southeastern Louisiana Jr. Johannesburg, South Africa

Hugues Joannes - Lamar So. Brussels, Belgium

Zack Reeves - UT Arlington Sr. Arlington, Texas

Gideon Pienaar - Central Arkansas Fr. Pongola, South Africa

THIRD TEAM

Russell Helson - Lamar Sr. Georgetown, Texas

Graham Benson - Southeastern Louisiana Jr. Leighton, England

Corey Roberson - Texas State Jr. Tyler, Texas

Michael Van de Venter - UT Arlington So. Centurion, South Africa

Kyle Robbins - Stephen F. Austin Fr. Southlake, Texas

Honorable Mention: Thomas Kearney, UTSA; Kevin Carrigan, UTA; Brandon Frankhouser, SHSU; Simon Merry, UTSA; Cedric Scotto, SLU.

Player of the Year: Sigmundur Masson, McNeese State

Freshman of the Year: Scott Kelly, Sam Houston State

Newcomer of the Year: Scotty Campbell, Central Arkansas

Coach of the Year: Brian White, Lamar