April 15, 2009
(San Diego, CA) - USD freshman Alex Ching (Honolulu, HI) was selected the 2009 West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year by the WCC head men's golf coaches. Ching, who played in a team-best 34 rounds this season, finishing with a team-best 71.73 stroke average. At the recently completed WCC Championships, he finished tied for 15th overall at 217. On the year he placed in the top-10 on four different occasions, including a first place finish at the Bay Area Shootout. Ching was joined on the All-WCC First Team by senior Blake Trimble (Rancho Santa Fe, CA) who was the team's top finisher at the WCC's with his 3rd place score of 212 (74-69-69). He also turned in four top-10 performances this season.
"It's great to see Alex, Blake and Ian honored for their great play this year," said head coach Tim Mickelson. "These three guys were our nucleus throughout the spring term. If we end up making NCAA Regionals this year, it will be because of these three guys. I knew in September that Alex had a good chance to be the WCC freshman of the year and he proved me right. He played very consistently throughout the year and is well deserving of this honor. It's also nice to see Blake have a WCC 1st team type of year. He has worked hard and has helped this team get better the last two years. He will be missed after this year."
Senior Ian Coffman (San Diego, CA), who tied for 8th at the WCC Championships (215; 71-69-75) was named WCC Honorable Mention.
Added Mickelson, "Ian is a great story. It took him nearly 12 months to earn his way into the lineup, in his senior year, and he was instrumental in our success this spring. Once he got into the lineup he kept his spot and proved to be one of the best members of this team. And now to be honored by the conference is a tremendous testament to his hard work and good play."
Pepperdine's Andrew Putnam was named the WCC Player of the Year, while San Francisco head coach Gary Nelson was tabbed WCC Coach of the Year.
MEN'S GOLF ALL-WCC
Alex Ching, San Diego
Andrew Putnam, Pepperdine
Blake Trimble, San Diego
Cory Mehl, Santa Clara
Daniel Cone, Saint Mary's
Derek Cheney, Gonzaga
Domingo Jojola, San Francisco
Greg Moss, Loyola Marymount
Josh Anderson, Pepperdine
Kyle Huus, Gonzaga
ALL-WCC HONORABLE MENTION
Chris Cunningham, San Francisco
Ian Coffman, San Diego
Jimmy Cacho, Santa Clara
Kurt Nino, San Francisco
Shane Mason, Pepperdine
Terence Macatangay, Portland
