University of Connecticut Athletics
MANUEL, NELSON, PEZZINO EARN BIG EAST GOLF AWARDS
5/7/2021 11:20:00 AM | Men's Golf
UConn Athletic Communications / May 7, 2021
NEW YORK – After winning the BIG EAST Championship last week, the UConn men's golf team is reaping the rewards.
Or, make that, awards.
The BIG EAST Conference announced Friday that UConn freshman Caleb Manuel has been named Freshman of the Year, Manuel and junior Jared Nelson have been named as First Team All-BIG EAST selections, and the Coaching Staff of the Year has been awarded to UConn and Coach Dave Pezzino.
The awards are the result of voting by the BIG EAST golf coaches, who were not allowed to vote for their own players.
Manuel (Topsham,Me.) helped lead UConn to the BIG EAST Championship, finishing fourth in the field with a 1-under 215, which included his season-best round of 6-under 66 in the second round as he sparked UConn into the tourney lead.
Manuel has been UConn's leading scorer this season, averaging 72.7 strokes per round, with 11 rounds of par or better, three Top 10 and six Top 20 finishes. He was the Huskies' top finisher in four events this spring.
Nelson (Rutland, Vt.) also posted a Top 10 finish at the BIG EAST Championship, coming in ninth with a 1-over 217. He was second on the Huskies in scoring at 73.4, with eight rounds of par or better, three Top 10 and four Top 20 finishes. He was UConn's top finisher in two events, including the co-medalist honors at the Bash at the Beach in March.
After a seven-year absence, UConn returned to the BIG EAST in 2020-21, and Pezzino -- who is assisted by Jon Wortmann on his staff -- guided the Huskies to the BIG EAST crown, using three freshmen in the lineup. In nine events during this shortened season, the Huskies had six Top Five finishes, including two in first place. Pezzino, a 14-year UConn coach, has been named New England Coach of the Year twice and his teams have won 14 events during his tenure with the Huskies.
Marquette redshirt junior Hunter Eichhorn was named BIG EAST Player of the Year.
UConn will return to action on May 17-19, when the Huskies compete in the NCAA Tournament at the Kingston Springs Regional at The Golf Club of Tennessee.
ALL-BIG EAST
First Team
Michael Cascino, Butler
Caleb Manuel, UConn
Jared Nelson, UConn
Nick Vontz, Creighton
Hunter Eichhorn, Marquette
Second Team
Logan Sabins, Butler
Charlie Zielinski, Creighton
Nicholas Evangelio, Marquette
Jack Simon, St. John's
Andres Acevedo, Seton Hall
Player of the Year
Hunter Eichhorn, Marquette
Freshman of the Year
Caleb Manuel, UConn
Coaching Staff of the Year
UConn
