Former Stetson University golfer Sam Ryder has been named a Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-America Scholar for the 2011-2012 season by the Golf Coaches Association of America.

It is the second consecutive year Ryder, a Longwood, Fla., native, has received the award. He is one of the 146 Division I golfers to be honored.

Ryder competed in 10 events for the Hatters last year, winning four including the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship in April. Ryder led the Hatters with a 71.5 stroke average, and earned a berth to a NCAA regional in Greensboro, N.C.

Before starting play on the NGA Professional Tour, Ryder earned a spot as the second alternate for the U.S. Open. In Ryder’s two events on the NGA Professional Tour he has finished tied for fourth in both. In the first event, the NGA Tour Classic at Achasta, he finished with a 19-under par score of  265. The Timber Creek Golf Classic was his second event, and he finished with an 11-under par 273. He is currently 63rd on the tour money list with $11,468 in earnings.

To be eligible for Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-America Scholar award an individual must be a junior or senior academically, compete in at least three full years at the collegiate level, participate in 70-percent of his team’s competitive rounds or compete in the NCAA Championships, have a stroke-average less than 76.0 in Division I, 78.0 in Division II and NAIA and 79.0 in Division III, and maintain a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.2 in Division I, II and III and 3.5 in NAIA. A recipient must also be of high moral character and be in good standing at his college or university.

For more information on the Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-America Scholar program, and to see a list of all the recipients for this year, go to http://collegiategolf.com/news/cleveland-golfsrixon-all-america-scholars-named-1716.html

To keep tabs on Ryder on the NGA Tour go to http://www.ngahooters.tourgolfscores.com/public/standings/player_stats.cfm?pcid=3872&yearID=&tid=

www.gohatters.com