MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia natives Chris Williams and Alan Cooke represented WVU on the 2017 Academic All-Big 12 Men’s Golf Team, as announced by the league on Tuesday.
Williams earned first team honors for the second straight season, while Cooke earned his second consecutive mention on the second team. Along with then-senior Mason Short, Williams and Cooke became the first-ever Mountaineers to earn academic honors from the Big 12 in 2016.
“Alan and Chris have certainly led us on the golf course, and they have also set an example for us in the classroom,” coach Sean Covich said. “It really means a lot for us to have our two seniors flourish both academically and athletically. We are proud of them for bringing these Big 12 honors to our young program. Alan and Chris, two West Virginia natives, really understand just how special it is to wear the Flying WV and they have helped us build a great foundation for the future of Mountaineer golf.”
A native of Scott Depot, Williams is a senior finance major. He has played 28 rounds in 10 tournaments for West Virginia this season and ranks third on the team with a 74.00 stroke average. Williams has three top-10 finishes in 2016-17, and most recently finished 10th at the Penn State’s Rutherford Intercollegiate this past weekend.
A senior marketing major, Cooke hails from Parkersburg. After winning the 97th West Virginia State Amateur this past summer, he has played in all 11 tournaments for the Mountaineers. Cooke boasts a trio of top-10 finishes and set the program record with a score of 206 for 10 under par at the Seminole Intercollegiate in March.
The Big 12 honored a total of 41 golfers for their accomplishments in the classroom in 2017, with 36 golfers earning first team honors and five more making up the second team.
First team members consist of those who have maintained a 3.20 or better GPA ,while the second team selections hold a 3.00 to 3.19 GPA. To qualify, student-athletes must maintain a 3.00 GPA or higher either cumulative or the two previous semesters and must have participated in 60 percent of their team’s scheduled contests. Freshmen and transfers are not eligible in their first year of academic residence. Senior student-athletes who have participated for a minimum of two years and meet all the criteria except percent of participation are also eligible.
Williams and Cooke will join three more Mountaineers in representing WVU at the 2017 Big 12 Golf Championship, set for April 24-26 at Prairie Dunes Country Club in Hutchinson, Kansas.
