STATE COLLEGE, Pa.; June 4, 2001- Penn State's Matt Abbott has been selected a 2001 honorable mention Ping All-American, as selected by the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA).
A senior from Endwell, N.Y., Abbott ended his career as one of the most prolific players in the program's history. He is the first Nittany Lion to be selected a GCAA honorable mention All-American since Adam Decker in 1997.
Abbott posted a scoring average of 71.94 for the 2000-01 season. He claimed two championships this season, winning the 2000 Northern Intercollegiate and the 2001 Big Red Classic. Abbott shot a Nittany Lion 18-hole record with a 65 in the first round of the Ram Intercollegiate, finishing second in the event.
Abbott was named District II Player of the Year in 1999-2000. He is the only Penn State golfer to be named to All-Big Ten twice, in 2000 and '01. He is school's career scoring average leader with a 73.68 strokes per round. He also set the school's single-season scoring average record with 73.16 strokes per round. Abbott was awarded the Mary Kennedy Award (Most Valuable Lion) in 1999 and 2000.
Abbott won four tournaments in his Penn State career. He opened up the 2001 spring season with a first place finish at the Big Red Classic in Ocala, Fla. He also won the 2000 Rutherford Intercollegiate, and was a back-to-back Northern Intercollegiate Champion in 2000 and '01. Abbott holds Nittany Lions records for lowest rounds for 18 (65), 54 (202) and 72 (287) holes.
"What makes Matt so special is his uncanny ability to shoot rounds in the 60's consistently," says Coach Greg Nye. "Matt is a good student, fine player and above all, a good person. He is a tremendous leader and that will be hard to replace."
The GCAA (The Golf Coaches Association of America) All-America Committee selected the individuals based upon play throughout the 2000-01 season, including the NCAA Championships. To be named to the PING All-America teams, a player must be named to one of the Ping All-District teams or finish in the top 15 at the NCAA Championships.
