Abbott & Metcalf Named GCAA All-America Scholars; Abbott Earns All-Region Honors
GCAA All-America Scholars
GCAA All-Region
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (May 16, 2018) – Seniors John Abbott (Higganum, Conn.) and Mike Metcalf (Longmeadow, Mass.) of the Western New England University men's golf team have both been named Division III Srixon/Cleveland Golf All-America Scholars by the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA), the organization announced on Tuesday night. Additionally, Abbott earned DIII Ping All-Northeast Region honors.
Abbott garners All-America Scholar accolades from the GCAA for the second straight season. A Communication-Media Theory & Production major with a 3.89 grade point average, Abbott was named the CCC Golfer of the Year and the CCC Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
He has been Western New England's top golfer all season with a team-best 73.72 stroke average prior to the start of the NCAA DIII Championships. Abbott was the medalist at both the CCC Fall Qualifier and the CCC Championship, and he also paced the 99-player field at the Johnson & Wales Wildcat Spring Invitational with a two-day score of 146. The Higganum, Conn. native placed in the top-10 in ten of Western New England's 11 tournaments this season with eight top-five showings. Abbott is among Division III golfers across six regions to receive All-Region recognition.
Metcalf also earns his second consecutive GCAA All-America Scholar nod. An accounting and finance major with a 3.58 cumulative GPA, he posted a 76.83 stroke average during his senior campaign.
Metcalf turned in seven sub-75 rounds this season, two of which came at the Duke Nelson Invitational, when he finished 12th in the 113-player field (74+71). Metcalf also placed 11th of 94 golfers at the Williams Fall Invitational (78+71), and third at the CCC Championship with a two-day score of 146 (73+73).
To be eligible for Srixon/Cleveland Golf All-America Scholar status an individual must be a junior or senior academically and compete in at least two full years at the collegiate level, participate in 50-percent of his team's competitive rounds or compete in the NCAA Championships, have a stroke average under 79.0 in Division III and maintain a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.2. A recipient must also be of high moral character and be in good standing at his college or university.
Western New England won its fourth CCC title this spring and earned an appearance in the NCAA Division III Championships at Grandover Resort in Greensboro, N.C. The Golden Bears posted an opening round 316 and sit in 33rd place heading into round two on Tuesday.
