4/15/2013 12:00:00 AM

Crooks and Ravnjak claim top individual honors; five Camels named to Big South all-conference team

BUIES CREEK, N.C. – John Crooks of Campbell University was named coach of the year and Tahnia Ravnjak chosen as freshman of the year Monday night when the Big South Conference announced its 2013 women's golf awards.

All five of Campbell's starters in the league championship tournament were named to the all-conference team. Lisbeth Brooks, Teresa Urquizu, Brooke Bellomy, Ravnjak and Kaylin Yost were selected by league head coaches to the 10-player all-conference unit.

After guiding his squad to six tournament victories in 10 outings, Crooks was named conference coach of the year for the 16th time, the 12th occasion in 22 years guiding the Campbell women. He owns 70 career women's tournament victories (second all-time among active Division I head coaches) heading into Tuesday's final round of the Big South Championship.

Crooks' squad entered the league championship as the No.-34 team in the nation, according to Golfstat.com. Campbell ranked second in the nation with 345 birdies and tied for 5th with 7 eagles in 10 events, while rating 14th nationally in par-3 scoring (3.2), 19th in par-4 scoring (4.25), 21st in average score (75.32) and 25th in score vs. par (+3.62).

Ravnjak, who compiled four top-10 individual finishes and produced the lowest stroke average (75.78) among all league frosh, topped the all-freshman team unit. The Cordeaux Heights, Australia native has finished among the top 20 individuals in six of nine events, including a season-best fifth place showing last week at the Hoya Invitational.

Sophomore Lisbeth Brooks leads the Camels and ranks second in the league with a 74.3 stroke average, while standing No.-105 in the latest Golfstat Cup listing. The native of Waunakee, Wis., has been Campbell's low individual in the last four events, including runner-up showings at the James Madison Eagle Landing Invitational (Mar. 8-10) and the Hoya Invitational (Apr. 8-9).

The 2012 Big South freshman of the year, Brooks ranks 17th in the country in par-3 scoring (3.06) and is tied for 19th with 72 birdies. She has produced five top-10 individual finishes this year and shot a collegiate career low 67 at the Eagle Landing event. Brooks finished seventh in last year's Big South Championship.

Senior Teresa Urquizu is ranked number 132 in the Golfstat Cup and is tied for third place in the nation with seven eagles on the year. The native of San Sebastian, Spain owns a 75.0 stroke average – fourth in the Big South – and has placed among the top 20 seven times in 10 events. She fired a collegiate low round of 67 at the Palmetto Intercollegiate where she produced her best finish (5th) of the year. She placed eighth in the 2012 Big South tournament and also gained all-conference recognition for the second time in her career after being named to the 2009 Atlantic Sun all-freshman team.

Sophomore Brooke Bellomy of Ona, W.Va., owns a 75.2 stroke average (fifth in the league) and stands 146th in the Golfstat Cup. Bellomy is tied for 35th nationally with 68 birdies and has seven top-20 finishes. Bellomy earned her first collegiate victory at the Golfweek Program Challenge and has shot a collegiate low round of 68 three times this season. She tied for 13th in the 2012 Big South event. Monday's honor marked the first time she has been recognized as an all-conference performer on the collegiate level.

Junior Kaylin Yost entered the conference tournament with 67 birdies, tied for 42nd in the country. The 2012 Big South player of the year has compiled a 76.2 stoke average (ninth in the BSC) and three top-20 showings. She won the Fighting Camel Fall Classic and shot a collegiate career low 67 at the Golfweek Conference Challenge. A Fort Lauderdale, Fla., resident, Yost was the individual runner-up in last year's Big South Championship. After earning Atlantic Sun all-freshman team recognition in 2011, Yost has been an all-conference performer in each of the last two seasons.

Coastal Carolina's Brittany Henderson, who led the league with a 73.96 stroke average entering the conference tournament, was named Big South women's golf player of the year and scholar-athlete of the year.

The top five finishers (and any ties) in the Big South championship will receive all-championship team honors.

2013 Big South Conference Women's Golf Award Winners

All-Conference Team
Brittany Henderson, Sr., Coastal Carolina
Lisbeth Brooks, Soph., Campbell
Jessica Alexander, Sr., Coastal Carolina
Teresa Urquizu, Sr., Campbell
Brooke Bellomy, Soph., Campbell
Amanda Steinhagen, Jr., Longwood
Meagan Wallace, R-Jr., Winthrop
Alexandra Austin, Soph., Radford
Kaylin Yost, Jr., Campbell
Tahnia Ravnjak, Fr., Campbell

All-Freshman Team
Tahnia Ravnjak, Campbell
Lena Schaeffner, Coastal Carolina
Marissa Hinchman, Coastal Carolina
Tan Cheeranont, High Point
Casey MacNeil, Charleston Southern

All-Academic Team
Lisbeth Brooks, Soph., Campbell
Amanda D'Ostroph, Sr., Charleston Southern
Brittany Henderson, Sr., Coastal Carolina
Sammy Vass, Sr., Gardner-Webb
Grier Bennett, Soph., High Point
Hannah Pierce, Jr., Longwood
Micah Dowling, Sr., Presbyterian College
Paige Reese, Jr., Radford
Jennifer Dilger, Soph., Winthrop