May 4, 2008

NASHPORT, Ohio - Northern Illinois' Zach Jecklin (Bloomington, Ill./Bloomington) has been named the Mid-American Conference Men's Golf Sportsman of the Year, the league's top honor. The senior captain was presented with the honor following the MAC Championships, where Jecklin finished seventh. It marked only the first time that a NIU golfer has received the award.

"When the announced the award, they mentioned that this is the most prestigious honor in the MAC and I would agree," said head coach John Cleary. "The Sportsman of the Year is an award determined by peers and voted on by the league's players and not coaches. There is not greater tribute than that tribute. It says a lot about both Zach's ability and the way he carries himself on the course."

Jecklin was a 2007 Golf Coaches Association All-America Scholar and is a two-time Academic All-MAC selection. He was named the MAC's Co-Golfer of the Week on May 1 after tying for second at the FirstEnergy Invitational and finished his career with a pair of top-10 finishes at the MAC Championships, including fourth place in 2006 to earn selection to the All-MAC Tournament Team.

-NIU-