UNC Greensboro Athletics: Lyerly Adds SoCon Men's Golfer Of The Year To His Crown Of Achievements

Greensboro NC

03 May, 2022

1:04 PM

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Press release from UNC Greensboro Athletics: 5/2/2022 4:00:00 PM Story Links GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNC Greensboro (UNCG) graduate student Nick Lyerly was named the Southern Conference Men's Golfer of the Year Monday afternoon following voting conducted by the league's eight head coaches. Lyerly is the first UNCG men's golfer in program history to earn this distinguished honor. The Player of the Year award is the first in UNCG's men's golf history, but second SoCon award for Lyerly, as the graduate clinched Freshman of the Year honors in 2018 after becoming the second Spartan to win the SoCon individual championship. A monument of excellence, Lyerly consistently stroked putts across difficult golf courses with the delicacy of a heart surgeon throughout the season while enhancing his legacy as one of the best golfers to ever come through UNCG during his year to remember. "It's pretty special to be the first one from UNCG because there have been a lot of great players here," Lyerly said. "I don't think they announced one in 2020 when COVID ended the season, but Jonathan Brightwell would have been the front runner there because he was having an unbelievable season. "I couldn't have had the year I had without all the support from my coaches and teammates. They really made it easy for me to go out and relax and just play my game all year." He was named SoCon Player of the Week four times and SoCon Player of the Month three times. He won three tournaments and was named a finalist for the Ben Hogan Award. Lyerly won the Wolfpack Collegiate with a 10-under par effort on Oct. 17. He won the Grandover Invitational with an astonishing 14-under par performance on Oct. 24. During that weekend tournament, Lyerly bogeyed two of the 54 holes. He also won the Dorado Beach Collegiate tournament with another 14-under par showing on March 1. Lyerly had six top-five finishes this season. His scoring average of 69.63 led the Southern Conference. Of his 30 rounds this season, 22 have been under par, with 13 rounds in the 60s. Lyerly finished second at the Southern Conference championships after finishing the three-day event 10-under par. He ended the tournament with a performance to remember, a final round seven-under 65. In the final round alone, Lyerly had eight birdies and was a five-under 31 on the front nine. He birdied five of the first nine holes. His tournament total of 15 birdies was third overall. Among many of his career highlights was becoming the second Spartan to win the SoCon individual championship in 2018, turning in a 4-under 212 (73-70-69). He posted two under-par rounds in the NCAA Pacific Regional. He led the Spartans to their second-straight SoCon Championship as he finished the tournament tied for first place at 11-under 205 in 2019. Lyerly has won seven individual championships during his brilliant career. Lyerly will await a bid to the 2022 NCAA Tournament as an individual. He is currently ranked 76th by Golfstat.com. The NCAA field will be announced live on Wednesday, May 4, at 4 p.m. (ET), on the Golf Channel. "Having Nick named the SoCon Player of the Year is a tremendous honor for himself and the program," UNCG head men's golf coach Terrance Stewart said. "Nick was the highest ranked in the SoCon in 2018 and 2019 and Jonathan Brightwell in 2020 and they did not win so this make it even more special to finally have it occur. We are all proud of Nick and beyond grateful for all he has done for UNCG. The best part is he's back again to play for the Spartans and graduate with his master's degree." 2021-22 Southern Conference Player of the Year Nick Lyerly, Gr., UNCG 2021-22 Southern Conference Freshman of the Year Jake Peacock, Western Carolina 2021-22 Southern Conference Coach of the Year Jake Amos, ETSU 2021-22 All-Southern Conference Team Remi Chartier, R-So., ETSU Archie Davies, R-So., ETSU Mats Ege, R-Fr., ETSU Jack Crosby, Sr., Furman Ross Funderburke, Jr., Furman Tobias Jonsson, Jr., Mercer Nick Lyerly, Gr., UNCG Paul Conroy, So., Chattanooga Jake Peacock, Fr., Western Carolina Harry Jones, So., Wofford 2021-22 All-Freshman Team Algot Kleen, ETSU Will Morlan, Furman Brian Boles, Samford Braedon Wear, Chattanooga Jake Peacock, Western Carolina Print Friendly Version This press release was produced by UNC Greensboro Athletics. The views expressed here are the author's own.