Men’s Golf Trio Named MVC Scholar-Athletes

Men's Golf 5/2/2018 10:02:00 AM

ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- A trio of Bradley Men's Golfers were named First-Team Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete selections, with senior Zach Jewell along with juniors Drake Bushong and Michael Mounce earning the distinction according to an announcement by the league office Wednesday morning.

Bradley had three individuals earn First-Team Valley Scholar-Athlete honors in the same season for the first time in program history and the Braves are the first team in the league to boast three first-team selections since Wichita State in 2012. The only team in the conference to have multiple First-Team MVC Scholar-Athlete picks in each of the last three years, Bradley has had a Valley best 10 First-Team Valley Scholar-Athlete selections over the last six seasons.

Bushong was the 2018 MVC individual medalist and is the first three-time All-MVC performer in program history. Now a two-time First-Team MVC Scholar-Athlete pick, the marketing major with a 3.61 cumulative grade point average ranks fourth on the team with a 75.04 stroke average. Bushong posted a 73.73 stroke average in the spring with a pair of top-10 finishes.

Currently third in Bradley history with a 73.93 career stroke average, Bushong earned his fourth career medalist title with his win at the MVC Championship and became just the third Brave to win the Valley individual crown. A two-time MVC Honor Roll performer, he has been named to the Bradley AD Honor Roll all five semesters.

Jewell was a First-Team MVC Scholar-Athlete after earning honorable mention scholar-athlete recognition last year. His season stroke average of 74.81 is second on the team and ranks 14th among Bradley season marks. Jewell posted a 74.13 stroke average during the spring semester and a pair of top-10 finishes.

A marketing (professional selling) major with a 4.00 cumulative grade point average, Jewell tied for third at the Twin Oaks Intercollegiate to help the Braves defend their title. He ranks seventh in school history with a 75.47 career stroke average. A two-time MVC Honor Roll performer, the Illinois Central College transfer was named to the Bradley AD Honor Roll following all five semesters on The Hilltop.

Mounce played in three of his six tournaments in 2017-18 as an individual and had not appeared in the team lineup since the fall before tying for second at the MVC Championship. His second-place finish to Bushong helped him earn All-MVC honors in addition to the MVC Elite 17 Award this spring.

An entrepreneurship major with a 3.93 cumulative grade point average, Mounce is third on the team with a 74.89 season stroke average, which is 15th among Bradley season marks. His career 75.79 stroke average is ninth all-time on The Hilltop. Mounce, who had two top-10 finishes on the year, posted a 73.89 average in the spring. Named to the Bradley AD Honor Roll all three semesters, Mounce also landed on the MVC Honor Roll last year.

The criteria for the MVC scholar-athlete team parallels the CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) standards for academic Academic All-America® program. Nominees must have at least a 3.20 cumulative grade point average (4.0 scale), while the student-athletes must have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at their institutions and must have participated in at least 50 percent of her team's rounds or played at the MVC Championship.

Bradley Men's Golf won its first MVC Championship by an impressive 15 strokes to earn the team's first NCAA post-season appearance since 1955. The NCAA Championship field will be announced Wednesday afternoon at 5 p.m. on the Golf Channel. Fans are invited to join the Braves for the NCAA Selection Watch Party in the Braves Club Room (Renaissance Coliseum), with doors opening for the event at 4 p.m.

Print Friendly Version