The Oglethorpe men's golf team took home every major SAA postseason award there was to win this week, and placed all six participants in last weekend's SAA Championship in Oneonta, Ala., on the All-SAA First Team.
Freshman Braden Baer played his best tournament as a Petrel so far, and took home the individual medal (three-under 141) from the weekend, outpacing junior teammate Anthony Amodeo by two strokes. For finishing first in the tournament, he garners the SAA Player of the Year award. He also was voted SAA Freshman of the Year by the league's coaches. This marks the first time that a member of the Oglethorpe golf team has won the conference player and freshman of the year awards in the same season. Since entering the lineup full-time this spring, Baer has been steadily improving, becoming an integral part of the Oglethorpe team. He is the No. 6 freshman in the nation, according to Golfstat's individual player rankings.
Petrel head coach Jim Owen locked up his first SAA Coach of the Year award for his work with the team this season. It marks the 13th time he has won a conference coach of the year award in the last 16 years. His teams have now won 11 conference titles in those 16 years, and this team will be going for the program's third national title in the last five years in May.
The All-SAA First Team started with Baer and Amodeo, and also included junior Hayden Jones, sophomores Will Morrow and Anthony Maccaglia, and senior Eric Quinn. This marks Quinn's fourth all-conference selection, while it represents the second time that Jones and Maccaglia have received all-conference accolades. It is the first time being a member of an all-conference team for both Baer and Amodeo, though Amodeo won SCAC Freshman of the Year in 2011.
Baer, Amodeo and Jones automatically made the All-SAA First Team by finishing in the top five at last week's SAA Championship, while Maccaglia and Quinn were voted onto the team prior to the tournament based on their work throughout the season.
The Petrels attempt to defend their NCAA Division III championship May 13-16 at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Destin, Fla.
