GENERAL
SoCon announces Athletes of the Year
VMI’s Richards, Furman’s Srinivasan honored
Past male winners
Past female winners
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – VMI redshirt senior wrestler Neal Richards and Furman senior women’s golfer Natalie Srinivasan have been named the 2019-20 Bob Waters Southern Conference Male Athlete of the Year and SoCon Female Athlete of the Year, respectively, the league announced Wednesday.Richards becomes the just the second VMI student-athlete to be named the SoCon Male Athlete of the Year and the first since Johnny Mapp in 1953-54. Richards also becomes just the second wrestler to earn the award, joining Appalachian State’s Austin Trotman, who took the distinction in 2011-12.Richards was named a second-team All-American by the National Wrestling Coaches Association this season, becoming just the third Keydet and first since 1999 to earn All-America honors. The 174-pounder shared SoCon Championship Most Outstanding Wrestler honors in 2020, taking the award for the second straight season after winning the league title in the weight class and qualifying for the NCAA Championships for the third time in his career.
The South Chesterfield, Virginia, native finished the 2019-20 season with a 38-7 record that included six major decisions, seven technical falls and five pins. In addition to his 174-pound title at the SoCon Wrestling Championships, Richards also claimed the crown in that weight class at the All-Academy Championships. He won 18 of his final 19 matches to close the season and earned a spot on the Virginia Sports Information Directors all-state first team.Richards, who graduated with a degree in civil engineering, is commissioning in the United States Army.Srinivasan becomes the ninth Paladin to earn the SoCon Female Athlete of the Year award and the second Furman women’s golfer to be honored, joining Caroline Peek (1993-94).A first-team All-America selection by both Golfweek and the Women’s Golf Coaches Association, Srinivasan was named the PING WGCA National Player of the Year and won the ANNIKA Award presented by Stifel, given annually to the top female U.S. collegiate golfer and voted on by players, coaches and members of the golf media. Srinivasan also won the inaugural Juli Inkster Senior Award presented by WorkDay, which recognizes the highest-ranked women’s collegiate golfer in her final year of NCAA eligibility.The Spartanburg, South Carolina, native, who led the conference and set a Furman single-season record with a stroke average of 70.78 over 18 rounds, concluded her career as the top-ranked active collegiate golfer according to Golfstat after winning three tournaments during her senior year: the Glass City Invitational, the Lady Paladin Invitational and the Moon Golf Open. Srinivasan also finished as the runner-up at the Darius Rucker Invitational and posted five top-20 finishes over six tournaments. She ended her Paladin career with a program-best 72.6 stroke average over 118 rounds while earning a second invitation to the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.Srinivasan graduated summa cum laude with a degree in health sciences, finishing with a 3.90 grade point average. The Furman Dean’s list selection is also a three-time member of the WGCA All-American Scholar Team and SoCon Academic Honor Roll.Srinivasan was the recipient of the Winston Babb Memorial Award, which is given by the Furman Chapter of Omicron Delta Kappa to the woman in each class who has demonstrated the most outstanding qualities of leadership, scholarship, and service to the university. Off the course, she has devoted time volunteering with Prisma Children’s Hospital and LPGA/USGA Girl’s Golf Organization.The Athlete of the Year Awards are selected annually by the Southern Conference athletics directors and a media member representing each conference school. The award recognizes athletic achievement, academic performance and civic involvement. Prior to 1990-91, the award was selected solely by members of the Southern Conference Sports Media Association. Beginning in 1991-92, the men's award was named after the late Bob Waters, who was Western Carolina's head football coach from 1969-88.
Past female winners
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – VMI redshirt senior wrestler Neal Richards and Furman senior women’s golfer Natalie Srinivasan have been named the 2019-20 Bob Waters Southern Conference Male Athlete of the Year and SoCon Female Athlete of the Year, respectively, the league announced Wednesday.Richards becomes the just the second VMI student-athlete to be named the SoCon Male Athlete of the Year and the first since Johnny Mapp in 1953-54. Richards also becomes just the second wrestler to earn the award, joining Appalachian State’s Austin Trotman, who took the distinction in 2011-12.Richards was named a second-team All-American by the National Wrestling Coaches Association this season, becoming just the third Keydet and first since 1999 to earn All-America honors. The 174-pounder shared SoCon Championship Most Outstanding Wrestler honors in 2020, taking the award for the second straight season after winning the league title in the weight class and qualifying for the NCAA Championships for the third time in his career.
The South Chesterfield, Virginia, native finished the 2019-20 season with a 38-7 record that included six major decisions, seven technical falls and five pins. In addition to his 174-pound title at the SoCon Wrestling Championships, Richards also claimed the crown in that weight class at the All-Academy Championships. He won 18 of his final 19 matches to close the season and earned a spot on the Virginia Sports Information Directors all-state first team.Richards, who graduated with a degree in civil engineering, is commissioning in the United States Army.Srinivasan becomes the ninth Paladin to earn the SoCon Female Athlete of the Year award and the second Furman women’s golfer to be honored, joining Caroline Peek (1993-94).A first-team All-America selection by both Golfweek and the Women’s Golf Coaches Association, Srinivasan was named the PING WGCA National Player of the Year and won the ANNIKA Award presented by Stifel, given annually to the top female U.S. collegiate golfer and voted on by players, coaches and members of the golf media. Srinivasan also won the inaugural Juli Inkster Senior Award presented by WorkDay, which recognizes the highest-ranked women’s collegiate golfer in her final year of NCAA eligibility.The Spartanburg, South Carolina, native, who led the conference and set a Furman single-season record with a stroke average of 70.78 over 18 rounds, concluded her career as the top-ranked active collegiate golfer according to Golfstat after winning three tournaments during her senior year: the Glass City Invitational, the Lady Paladin Invitational and the Moon Golf Open. Srinivasan also finished as the runner-up at the Darius Rucker Invitational and posted five top-20 finishes over six tournaments. She ended her Paladin career with a program-best 72.6 stroke average over 118 rounds while earning a second invitation to the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.Srinivasan graduated summa cum laude with a degree in health sciences, finishing with a 3.90 grade point average. The Furman Dean’s list selection is also a three-time member of the WGCA All-American Scholar Team and SoCon Academic Honor Roll.Srinivasan was the recipient of the Winston Babb Memorial Award, which is given by the Furman Chapter of Omicron Delta Kappa to the woman in each class who has demonstrated the most outstanding qualities of leadership, scholarship, and service to the university. Off the course, she has devoted time volunteering with Prisma Children’s Hospital and LPGA/USGA Girl’s Golf Organization.The Athlete of the Year Awards are selected annually by the Southern Conference athletics directors and a media member representing each conference school. The award recognizes athletic achievement, academic performance and civic involvement. Prior to 1990-91, the award was selected solely by members of the Southern Conference Sports Media Association. Beginning in 1991-92, the men's award was named after the late Bob Waters, who was Western Carolina's head football coach from 1969-88.
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