GCAA Release 

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – A program-record six Saint John's University golf student-athletes earned Golf Coaches' Association of America (GCAA) All-America Scholar recognition, sponsored by Srixon/Cleveland Golf, July 30.

Those honored include:

-Junior Joe Abdo (Edina, Minn.), a communication major;
-Sophomore Thomas Gutzmer (Jordan, Minn.), a social science major;
-Senior Preston Kopel (Sauk Rapids, Minn./Foley), an economics major;
-Senior Max LaBine (St. Cloud, Minn./Cathedral), a psychology major;
-Sophomore Cameron Lemke (Avon, Minn./Albany), an accounting major;
-Senior Esten Stensrud (Glenwood, Minn./Minnewaska Area), a communication major.

The SJU golf program has now had an All-America Scholar each of the last 22 years, for a total of 41 during that span. The honor was the second consecutive for Kopel and LaBine.

To be eligible for All-America Scholar, student-athletes must be either sophomore, junior or senior with a season scoring average under 79.0, a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher and have participated in 40 percent or more of the team's events during the 2020-21 season. 

The GCAA allowed sophomores for the first time in 2019-20, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and lowered the participation requirement to 40 percent from 50 percent. Previous honorees (2019 and 2020) were automatically eligible, regardless of the athletic requirements.

SJU received GCAA All-Academic team recognition for the 13th straight season July 23 as the 24 Johnnies combined for a 3.47 team GPA.

The Johnnies shattered the 54-hole, championship-meet record with a three-day total of 850 (284-281-285) - besting the previous record-low (set by SJU in 2006) by 27 shots - to win the program's 13th MIAC title May 2 at Emerald Greens G.C. in Hastings. All five Johnnies finished in the top 12, with four earning All-MIAC honors (top 10). SJU made its 18th appearance as a team (19th overall) at the Division III Championship in Wheeling, W.Va., and tied for 15th out of 37 teams.

SJU begins the 2021-22 season Sept. 4-5 at the Augsburg Invitational, held at Majestic Oaks G.C. in Ham Lake.