University of Minnesota Athletics
Erik Van Rooyen Named Second Team All-Big Ten
5/1/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
May 1, 2012
The Big Ten Conference announced today that Gopher junior Erik Van Rooyen has been named to the 2012 men's golf All-Big Ten Second Team.
Van Rooyen is coming off of his second consecutive top-10 finish at the Big Ten Championships with a seventh place finish this past weekend in French Lick, Ind. Last season he earned All-Big Ten Championship Tournament Team honors following a third place finish.
Van Rooyen becomes the 30th Gopher player to be named to an All-Big Ten team, a list that has included a Golden Gopher in 11 of the last 12 years. Former All-American Bronson La'Cassie was a four-time member of the All-Big Ten First Team (2004-07) while fellow All-Americans Tom Lehman (1979-81) and Martin LeMesurier (1997-2000) were three-time members of the All-Big Ten First Team.
A native of Oudtshoorn, South Africa, Van Rooyen led the Gophers in the fall and spring seasons in stroke average at 73.2 and 71.9, respectively. His combined stroke average of 72.6 this season is the 12-lowest in the history of Minnesota golf and is his lowest in the three seasons he has been at the U. His current career average of 73.77 is the ninth-lowest in Gopher Golf history.
Van Rooyen finished the regular season having posted three top-10 and six top-20 finishes in 10 tournaments, including a third place finish finish at the LSU Invitational in March.
The 2011-12 season may not be over for Van Rooyen, however, as he could be chosen to compete in an NCAA Regional as an individual. He will learn his NCAA fate on Monday, May 7. Van Rooyen played in the NCAA's San Diego Regional last season, finishing in a tie for 51st place.
Complete awards list is below.
ALL-BIG TEN FIRST TEAM | ALL-BIG TEN SECOND TEAM |
Luke Guthrie, Illinois | Erik Van Rooyen, Minnesota |
Thomas Pieters, Illinois | Mason Jacobs, Illinois |
David Mills, Indiana | Chris Brant, Iowa |
Chase Wright, Indiana | Steve Ihm, Iowa |
Barrett Kelpin, Iowa | Matt Thompson, Michigan |
Eric Chun, Northwestern | Tyler Duncan, Purdue |
PLAYER OF THE YEAR | COACH OF THE YEAR |
Luke Guthrie, Illinois | Mike Small, Illinois |
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR | |
Grant Weaver, Ohio State |
-UM-
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Players Mentioned
