April 23, 2009

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Senior Nicole Smith and freshman Nathalie Mansson captured Southeastern Conference postseason honors as the league office announced its women's golf awards on Thursday.

Smith and Mansson both were named to the All-SEC Second Team, while Mansson also appeared on the conference's All-Freshman Team.

For Smith, it was the third all-conference selection of her career. She also earned second team accolades in 2006 and 2007.

In addition to earning All-SEC Second Team in her rookie campaign, Mansson was selected to the All-Freshman Team.

Smith and Mansson tied for 13th with 54-hole totals of 220 (+7) last weekend at the SEC Championship in Blythewood, S.C., helping lead the Lady Vols to a fourth-place finish.

Returning from injury for the 2009 spring slate, Smith has a stroke average of 74.58 in four tournaments this season. The Riverside, Calif., native recorded UT's best round (68) of 2008-09 during the first round of the UCF Challenge in March, and has three top-20 finishes in four tournaments. She ranks 86th overall and 16th in the SEC in the Golfstat Cup individual rankings.

In 109 career rounds, Smith, UT's lone senior, has a career scoring average of 74.83 - fourth-best in Big Orange history. She was an NGCA Honorable Mention All-America selection in 2007 and is a four-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll as well as a two-time Academic All-America honoree.

Mansson's scoring average of 73.77 currently ranks as the fourth-best single-season mark in Lady Vol history - and the lowest average ever by a UT freshman. She has been UT's top finisher in five of eight tournaments and has five top-15 placements, including a third-place finish at the Lady Puerto Rico Classic in February. She has played in every round of every tournament this season and has a team-best eight rounds of par or better.

Mansson ranks 64th overall and 11th in the SEC in the Golfstat Cup individual rankings. Additionally, she ranks third among conference freshman, according to Golfstat.

Auburn head coach Kim Evans and junior Candace Schepperle captured the SEC Coach of the Year award and SEC Golfer of the Year honor, respectively.

Kentucky senior Malloy Blackwelder was named SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, while Georgia's Marta Silva Zamora followed up her SEC Tournament individual title with the conference's Freshman of the Year award.

Next up for Smith and Mansson is the NCAA Regional Championship from May 7-9. The duo will look to lead the Lady Vols into the top eight and a berth in the NCAA Championship (May 19-22).

The Big Orange will find out Monday afternoon which regional site it will be competing at - either Columbus, Ohio, Gainesville, Fla., or Tempe, Ariz.

SEC COACH OF THE YEAR
Kim Evans, Auburn

SEC SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Mallory Blackwelder, Kentucky

SEC GOLFER OF THE YEAR
Candace Schepperle, Auburn

SEC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Marta Silva Zamora, Georgia

FIRST-TEAM ALL-SEC
Candace Schepperle, Auburn, Jr.
Megan McChrystal, LSU, So.
Dori Carter, Ole Miss, Sr.
Marta Silva Zamora, Georgia, Fr.
Jessica Yadloczky, Florida, So.
Mallory Hetzel, Georgia, Sr.
Cydney Clanton, Auburn, So.
Camilla Lennarth, Alabama, So.
Kathleen Ekey, Alabama, Sr.

SECOND-TEAM ALL-SEC
Brooke Pancake, Alabama, Fr.
Nathalie Mansson, TENNESSEE, Fr.
Benedicte Toumpsin, So. Carolina, Jr.
Lucy Nunn, Arkansas, Sr.
Carolina Andrade, Georgia, Jr.
Marina Alex, Vanderbilt, Fr.
Nicole Smith, TENNESSEE, Sr.
Haley Wilson, Auburn, Fr.

ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
Marta Silva Zamora, Georgia
Brooke Pancake, Alabama
Nathalie Mansson, TENNESSEE
Marina Alex, Vanderbilt
Haley Wilson, Auburn
Jacqueline Hedwall, LSU
Evan Jensen, Florida
Tessa Teachman, LSU