SPOKANE, Wash. - Northwest Nazarene University's Zach Grunig has been named the Great Northwest Athletic Conference men's golf Freshman-of-the-Year, as announced this afternoon by the conference office in Spokane.

 

Grunig (Fr./Meridian, ID) earned the honor after posting the lowest scoring average for freshman in the GNAC this season. 

 

"I couldn't be happier for Zach to earn this award," commented NNU head coach Craig Stensgaard.  "Zach stepped into college golf and made an immediate positive impact on our team this year, both on the course and in the classroom.  He is the rare freshman that quickly learned how to balance collegiate athletics and academics, as evidenced by his grade point average in the classroom (3.84 GPA) and his scoring average on the course."

 

Averaging 77.14 in 21 rounds this season, Grunig posted a season-low 1-under par 71 at the Grand Canyon University Thunderbird Invitational on March 30th at Palm Valley Golf Club in Goodyear, Arizona and ranked second on the Crusader team in scoring average.

 

Grunig and the Crusaders completed play for the 2008-09 season on Tuesday at the GNAC Golf Championships that were held at the Coeur d'Alene Resort Golf Club.  Grunig and teammate Rowdy Hope finished tied for 11th at 226.  Grunig fired rounds of 74-77-75 during the 54-hole championship.