NORMAN, Okla. – The Golf Coaches Association of America announced Thursday (August 10) the 2022-23 team Academic National Champion for six divisions, NCAA DI, NCAA DII, NCAA DIII, NAIA, NJCAA DI, and NJCAA DII. Boasting a 3.8548 team GPA, the Florida Southern College Moccasins were tabbed as the 2022-23 NCAA Division II Academic National Champions! The Moccasins also were tabbed with the Presidents Special Recognition for having above a 3.5 GPA.
Behind GCAA All-American Scholar and Third Team College Sports Communicators Academic All-American,
Clay Tucker, the Mocs' 10 student-athletes on the 2022-23 roster dedicated time in the classroom to produce the highest GPA in Division II as well as the second highest GPA in all six divisions, trailing just NJCAA DI Andrew, which had a team GPA of 3.88.
"Being named the GCAA Academic National Champions is a great accomplishment for our program," Head Coach
Lee White '12 stated. "I'm incredibly proud of our student-athletes for earning this recognition and their commitment in the classroom."
The Mocs' roster, whom all made the Spring SSC Commissioner's Honor Roll, consisted of senior
Johnny Tucker, juniors
Adam Alvarez,
Bryce Walker, and
Max Watson, sophomore
Clay Tucker, and freshmen
Tyler Mistretta,
Harrison Harper,
Max Barile,
Ethan Bridges, and
Freddie Parlby.
Florida Southern adds its first Academic National Championship to the team's historic 13 NCAA DII National Championships which the Mocs last won in 2017 3-2 over Lynn in Kissimmee, Fla. at Reunion Resort.
This past season, the Moccasins had a sixth-place finish at the Sunshine State Conference Championships before finishing ninth at the NCAA South/Southeast Regional in Davie, Fla.
Adam Alvarez, tabbed a PING Honorable Mention All-American released by the GCAA in June, paced the team with a sixth-place finish at the regional. The team placed inside the top-10 at eight of the 11 tournaments with a best finish of second-place at the Matlock Collegiate in February.
The GCAA awarded 266 schools across six divisions with the Outstanding Team Academic Award with 20 NCAA DII programs earning the Presidents' Special Recognition for a 3.5 or better GPA in the classroom, which Florida Southern was the lone Sunshine State Conference institution to be recognized. Thirty-three division II programs were honored as All-Academic teams which featured three SSC programs, Rollins, Saint Leo, Tampa at a 3.0+ GPA
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