CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Coastal Carolina men's golf program had a pair of Chanticleers in
Sebastian Soderberg and
Ben Wheeler named to the Big South 2010-19 Men's Golf All-Decade Team presented by Hercules Tires, the league office announced today.
The league's All-Decade Teams were first unveiled as part of the Big South's 30th Anniversary celebration in 2013-14 to recognize the student-athletes and coaches who excelled in their respective sport in each decade since the conference's founding in 1983.
Soderberg was a 2013 Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) All-America honorable mention and a three-time GCAA All-region selection (2011, 2012, and 2013). Named the 2013 Big South Men's Golfer of the Year, he was also a four-time All-Big South selection (2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013) and earned a spot on the inaugural Big South All-Championship team in 2013.
The top CCU golfer in three-straight Big South Championship Tournaments from 2011-13, Soderberg was part of two Big South championship teams (2010 and 2013), earned Big South Men's Golfer of the Week honors five times, and was named to the Big South All-Academic team three times (2011, 2012, and 2013).
One of eight golfers in Big South history to play in four NCAA Regional events (2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014), the Swedish golfer also played in two NCAA Championships (2011 and 2013) including as an individual in 2011 after finishing as runner-up at the 2011 NCAA East Regional with a 54-hole score of 212, 4-under par.
The 2014 Big South Men's Golf Champion, Wheeler was also tabbed the 2012 Big South Freshman of the Year and was twice named to the Big South All-Conference team (2014 and 2015). He earned a spot on the 2014 Big South All-Championship team, was a three-time Big South Golfer of the Week, and was twice named to the Big South All-Academic team (2014 and 2015).
A member of Coastal's 2013 Big South championship team, Wheeler played in three NCAA Regional events for the Chanticleers in 2013, 2014, and 2015, and was the top CCU golfer at the 2013 NCAA Championship with a 26th-place finish and a 54-hole score of 209, 1-under par.
The pair joins 13 other former Chanticleers as members of a Big South Men's Golf All-Decade Team.
CCU's John Faidley (two-time all-conference), Chris Gale (two-time all-conference), and Brian Lamb (two-time all-conference) were all named to the 1985-98 all-decade team, while Brad Hastings (Big South Medalist, Big South Golfer of the Year, four-time all-conference), Trevor Gliwski (Big South Medalist, Big South Golfer of the Year, three-time all-conference), Julian James (Big South Rookie of the Year, three-time all-conference), and Wil Weldon (Big South Medalist, Big South Golfer of the Year, three-time all-conference) all earned spots on the 1990-99 all-decade team.
The Chants' Zack Byrd (All-American, two-time Big South Medalist, Big South Golfer of the Year, Big South Freshman of the Year, three-time all-conference), Dustin Johnson (three-time All-American, three-time Big South Golfer of the Year, Big South Medalist, four-time all-conference), Tripp McAllister (Big South Golfer of the Year, Big South Freshman of the Year, two-time all-conference), Alvaro Velasco (Big South Golfer of the Year, NCAA Regional individual qualifier, two-time all-conference), Rafael Vera (Big South Medalist, Big South Golfer of the Year, NCAA Regional individual qualifier, two-time all-conference), and head coach Allen Terrell (seven Big South Championships, seven NCAA Regionals, three NCAA Championships, six-time Big South Coach of the Year) were all named to the 2000-09 all-decade team.
A 15-person committee of Big South Conference administrators served as the official voting panel to determine the All-Decade Team, with fan voting comprising 20 percent of the overall total.
The 2010-19 Men's Golf All-Decade Team is listed below in alphabetical order and features 10 players and one head coach. In case of ties, additional honorees have been added.
2010-19 MEN'S GOLF ALL-DECADE TEAM PRESENTED BY HERCULES TIRES
Name, School
Mathieu Fenasse, Liberty
Vaita Guillaume, Campbell
Robert Karlsson, Liberty
Daniel Kim, Gardner-Webb
Ray Kraivixien, Campbell
Chase Marinell, Liberty
Zach Seabolt, Winthrop
Sebastian Soderberg, Coastal Carolina
Jesper Svensson, Campbell
Ben Wheeler, Coastal Carolina
Head Coach, School
Jeff Thomas, Liberty
About the Big South All-Decade Teams
Men's Golf All-Decade Team candidates were determined based on being at least one of the following:
1) Was a multiple all-conference honoree;
2) Was named an All-American;
3) Is a member of the Big South Conference Hall of Fame;
4) Student-athletes must be a college graduate or left their respective institution in good academic standing;
5) Won a conference championship as a coach and/or was voted conference Coach of the Year;
6) Players of the Year, Tournament MVPs, and first-team all-conference honorees will be among the candidate pool for the 2010-19 All-Decade Teams.
Candidates that participated in two different decades were placed in a specific decade based on consultation from member institutions. Member institutions also had final determination in regards to the inclusion of student-athletes and coaches.
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