LSU Gold

Runion Named Jan Strickland Award Finalist

by Aaron Hyder
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Runion Named Jan Strickland Award Finalist

Baton Rouge, La. – For the third-straight year, LSU men’s golf assistant coach Garrett Runion has been named a finalist for the Jan Strickland Award the Golf Coaches Association of America announced on Wednesday afternoon. Runion is one of six finalists joining the likes of Jake Amos (South Carolina), Robert Duck (Florida State), Corey Maggerd (Auburn), Dan Walters (Wake Forest) and Lee White (Florida Southern).

The award is presented annually to the NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA or NJCAA assistant coach that has excelled in working with their student-athletes both on the course and in the classroom.

Serving in his sixth season as an assistant coach, Runion has been an essential cog in LSU’s rise to the top of the NCAA as one of the most prominent programs in the country over the past several years. Most recently the Tigers won their third tournament of the 2017-18 season with a runaway victory at the Old Waverly Collegiate in West Point, Miss. LSU carded a final round of 11-under 277 to shoot a combined score of 9-under par 855 to win by 13 shots.

Following the 2016-17 season, LSU had three golfers named to the SEC Spring Academic Honor Roll, and earlier this year in February, four golfers were recognized for finishing the 2017 fall semester with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Additionally, Runion serves on the GCAA National Advisory Board as the assistant coach representative.

LSU has had two student-athletes win titles this year; Luis Gagne and Jacob Bergeron shared medalist honors at the 2017 David Toms Intercollegiate. Trey Winstead (Old Waverly Championship & David Toms Intercollegiate), Philip Barbaree (Ka’anapali Collegiate Classic & General Hackler Championship) and Nathan Jeansonne (Sea Best Invitational) have all recorded top-five finishes as well this year.

The Tigers have also claimed team titles at the David Toms Intercollegiate and Ka’anapali Collegiate Classic this season. LSU is currently ranked ninth in the latest Golfweek rankings as they prepare for postseason play. The Tigers will compete at the SEC Championship beginning next Wednesday (April 25).