Thursday, April 12, 2007

PALENKAS NAMED SAC WOMEN'S GOLFER OF THE YEAR

Shannon Palenkas SAC Player of the Year	Amanda Bowen All-SAC 1st Team

ROCK HILL, S.C. --- Tusculum College's Shannon Palenkas has been named the 2007 South Atlantic Conference Women's Golf Player of the Year announced league officials Thursday. Palenkas, a senior from Maryville, Tenn., becomes the first player in the program's history to earn this prestigious honor.

Palenkas and senior teammate Amanda Bowen were named to the All-Conference First Team. Bowen becomes the first player in school history to earn All-SAC Women's Golf honors four times. Palenkas earns All-SAC recognition for a third occasion.

Palenkas leads the team with a 78.25 stroke average, which is on pace to break the school single-season record. She has recorded five top 10 finishes and has finished in the top 20 in all eight events this year. Last October, she carded 71-77=148 to claim medalist honors at the Tusculum Fall Classic. She also finished third at the J. Ralph Hargett Memorial Intercollegiate last month.

Bowen, a senior from Millington, Tenn., is second on the squad with her 79.81 scoring average, including four top 10 finishes and six top 20 showings. Earlier this month, she finished second at the Agnes McAmis Memorial where she carded a school record 77-69=146 over 36 holes. Bowen's final round 69 tied a school and SAC record. She finished in fourth place at the Tusculum Fall Classic and tied for seventh at the Hargett Memorial.

The Pioneers are currently ranked No. 23 in the nation in NCAA Division II and will compete at next week's Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Golf Championship in Hickory, N.C.

- SAC -

2007 All-South Atlantic Conference Women's Golf Team

First Team

Jaynelle Harmon, Catawba

Fraziska Blum, Newberry

Shannon Palenkas, Tusculum

Amanda Bowen, Tusculum

Beth Kirkham, Wingate

Second Team

Kelsey Babos, Catawba

Stephanie Delgado, Lenoir-Rhyne

Eva Cormann, Newberry

Ashley Ratcliff, Newberry

Kristen Cometto, Presbyterian

SAC Player of the Year: Shannon Palenkas, Tusculum

SAC Freshman of the Year: Fraziska Blum, Newberry

SAC Coach of the Year: Darby Sligh, Newberry

SAC Women's Golf Scholar Athlete: Stephanie Delgado, Lenoir-Rhyne