May 5, 2008

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - University of North Carolina golfer Kevin O'Connell has been named the Atlantic Coast Conference Freshman of the Year as selected by a vote of the league's 11 head coaches. O'Connell was also selected to the 2008 All-ACC team.

O'Connell, from Cary, N.C., has had an immediate impact on the Tar Heel golf program. The Green Hope High School graduate has carded seven top-10 finishes and nine top-25 finishes in Carolina's 10 tournaments. O'Connell's top finish of the year was a tie for third place at the Seminole Intercollegiate where he posted a six-under-par 210 total. In his most recent outing, O'Connell tied for sixth place at the ACC Championship. O'Connell boasts a 71.07 stroke average, which leads the Tar Heel team. He has carded 14 rounds under-par, 10 in the 60s, and seven even par rounds.

Joining O'Connell on the 12-man All-ACC squad are Clemson's Kyle Stanley, Duke's Clark Klaasen and Michael Schachner, Florida State's Jonas Blixt and Matt Savage, Georgia Tech's Chesson Hadley and Cameron Tringale, Maryland's Chris Gold, NC State's Matt Hill, Virginia Tech's Jurrian van der Vaart and Wake Forest's Webb Simpson. Simpson of Wake Forest was awarded the ACC Player of the Year and Florida State's Trey Jones was named Coach of the Year for the first time in his career.

The Tar Heels await a bid (later today) to the NCAA Regionals to be played May 15-17. The NCAA East Regional will be played at Council Fire Golf Club in Chattanoogo, Tenn., the Central Regional at Ohio State's Scarlet Golf Course in Columbus and the West Regional at Gold Mountain Golf Club in Bremerton, Wash.