Franzi Knoetsch makes USCB golf history with All-America selection

Franzi Knoetsch became the first USC Beaufort golfer to be named a first-team NAIA All-American. She was one of 15 players selected by the association’s golf coaches.

The sophomore from Germany tied for third at last week’s NAIA Women’s Championship outside Savannah, her 10th top-10 finish in 11 events this season. She claimed her first collegiate victory at the Callaway Gardens Intercollegiate in March.

Knoetsch’s scoring average of 75.83 ranked third among all NAIA golfers, and she was chosen for Sun Conference weekly honors three times this season.

This marks the fifth consecutive year that USCB has placed at least one player on the NAIA All-America list, including Knoetsch getting honorable mention last season. The Sand Sharks also have had a second-team selection (Kelli Nakano, 2013), a third-teamer (Samantha O’Donnell, 2014) and two other honorable mentions.

USCB MEN

Sand Shark senior tied for 4th: Judson Milam followed up his opening 71 with a 1-over-par 73, leaving him four shots off the individual lead at the midway point of the NAIA Men’s Championship at Silvis, Ill.

The USCB senior carded two of his three birdies in Wednesday’s final seven holes at TPC Deere Run, leaving him in a four-way tie for fourth. Lawren Rowe of Canada’s University of Victoria fired a second-round 67 to take the overall lead, one shot ahead of Oklahoma City’s Matthew Cheung.

The Sand Sharks stood 16th at the end of Wednesday’s play with a team total of 609, leaving them 24 shots behind frontrunner William Woods.

This story was originally published May 25, 2016 at 9:10 PM with the headline "Franzi Knoetsch makes USCB golf history with All-America selection."