BETTENDORF, Iowa – James Marchesani of Oklahoma City has been named recipient of the Phil Mickelson Award presented by the Phil and Amy Mickelson Foundation as the most outstanding freshman in NAIA men’s golf.

Marchesani claimed four top-five finishes this season. He had two additional top 10 showings. He placed second his first career event at the U.C. Ferguson Classic and again at the Oklahoma City Spring Classic.

Nick Chacon of Our Lady of the Lake, Cumberlands Fredrik Lindbolm, Thane Ringler of The Master’s College and Shorter’s Erwan Vielledent joined Marchesani on the All-Freshmen Team.

MUSCLE SHOALS, Ala. – Kyle Souza of Chico State claimed the Division II Arnold Palmer Award presented by Callaway for earning medalist honors at the NCAA Championships.

Souza’s tournament got off to a rough start when he bogeyed two of his first three holes. He recovered to birdie four of his last 10 holes to sit in fourth place at 2-under 70 after one round. Souza continued his solid play in the second round with three birdies to two bogeys to move into a tie for first with Coker’s Jake Murphy and Zack Van Dolah of Central Missouri.

Souza carded par on his first six holes of the final round of stroke-play competition before posting bogey and double-bogey in two of his last three before making the turn. He would birdie four holes on his final nine and looked to have the tournament in hand after Van Dolah posted back-to-back bogeys to close his round and fall out of a tie for first place. Daniel Young of Lynn - who entered the round two strokes off the lead - would record back-to-back birdies late in his round to force a playoff.

Souza seemed in control again during the first playoff hole when Young missed the green. Young would however pitch to within inches and both players birdied to force a second playoff hole. Both players would again birdie to continue the playoff. Young would again miss the green on his ensuing drive and failed to convert his up-and-down while Souza birdied to claim national medalist honors.

BETTENDORF, Iowa – Oscar Stark of Oklahoma Christian claimed the NAIA Arnold Palmer Award presented by Callaway for earning medalist honors at the NAIA Championships.

Stark led the championship wire-to-wire. He opened the tournament with a bogey-free 4-under  67. Stark carded 1-under in both the second and third rounds. His final round got off to a rocky start with back-to-back bogeys but Stark held on for a five-stroke victory at four-under for the tournament and was the only player to finish the championship under par.

MUSCLE SHOALS, Ala. – PING First-Team All-America honorees for Division II have been announced by the GCAA following stroke-play portion of the NCAA Championships.

First-Team All-Americans included Abilene Christian’s Cyril Bouniol and Alex Carpenter, Lynn’s Ricardo Gouveia and Jose Joia, Cal State Monterey Bay’s John Jackson, Jake Murphy of Coker, Chico State’s Kyle Souza and Barry’s Daniel Stapff.

Division II PING First-Team All-Americans
Cyril Bouniol, Abilene Christian
Alex Carpenter, Abilene Christian
Ricardo Gouveia, Lynn
John Jackson, Cal State Monterey Bay
Jose Joia, Lynn
Jake Murphy, Coker
Kyle Souza, Chico State
Daniel Stapff, Barry