2023 ALL-GAC TEAMS

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. Henderson State men's and women's golf garnered seven of the available 10 First Team spots on the 2023 All-GAC teams. Head coach Colton Cowan, Nathan Cossement, Gracen Blount and Lily Nelson all earned "of the year" awards to highlight the winners.

Cowan, in his second year with the program, defended his title of GAC Women's Coach of the Year while also being named the Men's Coach of the Year. Despite losing one of their top golfers early in the season to injruy, the men's program won six events in 2022-23 while the women won eight, including their final four tournaments of the regular season. The HSU men are currently ranked No. 20 in Division II while the women stand at No. 6 with both teams No. 1 in the region.

For the second year in a row, Gracen Blount was named the unanimous GAC Women's Golfer of the Year while Nathan Cossement was named the Men's Golfer of the Year - the first of his HSU career. Blount has won three events this season while Nate took home two first-place finishes and set a GAC record for five consecutive Golfer of the Week awards earlier this season.

Lily Nelson on women's golf was named the unanimous Freshman of the Year after finishing eighth or better in each of her last four tournaments. Nelson was also named the conference's Golfer of the Week after finishing in a tie for 14th at The Southern Invite in Houston, Texas for the first event of 2023. 

For the breakdown of All-Conference First and Second teams, the men's golf program landed three on the First Team - Nathan Cossement (unanimous), Miller Harris and Josh McNulty - and a pair on the Second Team - Alex Hadden and Ethan Wilkins.

For the women, four of five First Team nods went to the Reddies, as Allie Bianchi, Blount and Jinna Boonbumroongsuk, all of whom hold 73.88 stroke averages or better, were each unaminous First Team selections while Nelson joined her teammates on the First Team. Daphney Tilton made her way onto the All-GAC Second Team. In addition to Bianchi's First Team honor, she was also one of two Elite Scholar Athletes on the women's side. Blount was named a Distinguished Scholar Athlete.

Both men's and women's programs will vie for a GAC Championship and a shot at the NCAA Regionals beginning with round one tomorrow from Hot Springs Country Club. The men look to defend their conference crown while the women go for a three-peat.