Senior Andrew DiBitetto was named a Cleveland Golf/GCAA all-America Scholar for the second straight year. |
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DiBitetto; Enander Hedin; Wiedergruen Named Cleveland Golf all-America Scholars
July 11, 2008
Charlotte, N.C. - The Charlotte golf team has crashed onto the national scene in the past few years with four straight NCAA Tournament appearances, a month-long stint in the fall of 2007 as the consensus #1-ranked team in the country and back-to-back top 10 NCAA finishes in 2007 and 2008.
During that time, the 49ers have been just as successful in the classroom. Three different 49ers have been named the Atlantic 10 Men's Golf Student-Athlete of the Year over the past three seasons. In the past three years, the 49ers have boasted their first-ever ESPN the Magazine Academic all-America and their first-ever Cleveland Golf/GCAA all-America Scholars. The golf team has posted a team GPA of 3.2 or higher in each of the last eight semesters, including a near-record 3.452 in the spring of 2008. The team owns a cumulative GPA of 3.444 and each player on the 2008 roster owned a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
This week, the Golf Coaches Association of America announced that a school-record three 49ers golfers earned Cleveland Golf all-America Scholar honors: seniors Andrew DiBitetto (Rochester, N.Y.) and Jonas Enander Hedin (Taby, Sweden) and junior Stefan Wiedergruen (Waiblingen, Germany). That trio gives the 49ers seven all-America Scholar awards over the last three years.
DiBitetto and Enander Hedin, who were named all-America Scholars in 2006-07, as well, both received their second award, while Wiedergruen was named for the first time in his first year of eligibility.
A total of 96 players earned the honor in Division I. To be eligible for 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 70-percent of his team's competitive rounds or compete in the NCAA Championships, have a stroke average under 76.0 in 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.
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A third-team all-America by both the GCAA and Golfweek Magazine, Enander Hedin was the 2008 A-10 Golf Student-Athlete of the Year and also became the university's first ESPN the Magazine Academic all-America golfer when he was named to the men's at-large second team by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Enander Hedin graduated cum laude with a 3.78 GPA as a Business Management/Managerial Leadership major. Enander Hedin led Charlotte to a tie for eigth place at the 2008 NCAA Championships and their third straight Atlantic 10 title with a conference-best 71.78 stroke average. He owns the 49ers all-time career record with a 72.89 stroke average and owns two of the 49ers top three single-season scoring averages (71.78 in 2008; 71.86 in 2007). A three-time all-Atlantic 10 choice, Enander Hedin has also been named to the Atlantic 10 all-Academic Team in each of the last three years. He posted a perfect 4.0 GPA, this past spring.
Enander Hedin was one of five finalists for the Byron Nelson Award, given to the senior golfer who demonstrates excellence in athletics, academics and character. He was also won of the top 20 finalists for both the Nicklaus and Hogan National Player of the Year Awards. He also participated in the 2008 Palmer Cup, which is the collegiate version on the Ryder Cup and clinched Team Europe's victory over Team USA with his fourth round singles' match win. He won three of his four matches at the Palmer Cup.
DiBitetto graduated with a 3.53 GPA as a Business Management/Managerial Leadership major. A 2007 GCAA honorable mention all-America, DiBitetto owned a 73.54 stroke average as a senior and completed his career with a 73.04 stroke average. A 2007 Cleveland Golf all-America Scholar, DiBitetto was the 2007 A-10 Golf Student-Athlete of the Year and is a two-time A-10 all-Academic team honoree. He placed ninth at the 2007 NCAA Championships, the highest NCAA finish ever by a 49er golfer, to lead Charlotte to its historic third-place NCAA finish. A three-time all-conference choice, DiBitetto was the 2007 A-10 individual runner-up. Notably, DiBitetto was in the lineup for each of the 17 tournaments the 49ers won over his four-year career, including three straight A-10 titles.
Wiedergruen owns a 3.61 GPA as a Business Management major. He posted a personal-best 72.43 stroke average as a junior that included an astounding 69.8 stroke average in the fall, 2007. During the fall, Wiedergruen won both the PING/Golfweek Preview and the Pacific Invitational and tied for second at the Scenic City Invitational to be named Golf World's National Mid-Year Player of the Year in December. He tied for 5th at the A-10 Championships to cop his first all-Atlantic 10 honor and was also named to the 2008 A-10 all-Academic Team.
49er Golf Academic Awards:
Cleveland Golf/GCAA Scholar all-America
2008: Andrew DiBitetto, Jonas Enander Hedin, Stefan Wiedergruen
2007: Andrew DiBitetto; Jonas Enander Hedin
2006: Matt Mincer, Ray Sheedy
ESPN the Magazine/CoSIDA Academic all-America
2008: Jonas Enander Hedin
A-10 Scholar-Athlete of the Year
2008: Jonas Enander Hedin
2007: Andrew DiBitetto
2006: Ray Sheedy
A-10 all-Academic Team
2008: Jonas Enander Hedin, Stefan Wiedergruen
2007: Andrew DiBitetto, Jonas Enander Hedin
2006: Ray Sheedy, Andrew DiBitetto, Jonas Enander Hedin
Golf Team Semester GPA Fall Spring 2007-08 3.316 3.452 2006-07 3.385 3.221 2005-06 3.338 3.397 2004-05 3.298 3.453
Golf Team Cumulative GPA: 3.44
