June 27, 2005

WEST POINT, N.Y. - Head golf coach Jimmy Ray Clevenger and rising senior Austin Luher were honored by the Golf Coaches Association of America in a recent announcement by the organization. Clevenger was named the Eaton/Golf Pride New England "Coach of the Year" and Luher was one of 15 golfers to earn a spot on the PING All-New England Team.

Clevenger has served as Army's golf mentor since 1991 and has guided the Black Knights to nine Patriot League championships and seven appearances in the NCAA Regionals. Clevenger enjoyed arguably his finest season at the helm in 2004-05 as Army won three tournaments, including the 2005 Patriot League championship, garnered its highest ever ranking in District I (No. 2) and shattered several Academy regional records at the 2005 NCAA East Regional in Nashville, Tenn. The Black Knights captured the Blue Devil Fall Invitational in September along with winning the Fairfield Spring Break Invitational in March.

For the third time in three years, Clevenger's linksmen outdistanced the eight-team field at the conference tournament, securing their ninth team title by seven strokes over runner-up and host Bucknell. By winning the conference crown, Clevenger and the Black Knights earned an automatic berth to the NCAA Regionals and learned shortly thereafter that they would be one of 27 teams competing at the East Regional at The Golf Club of Tennessee in Nashville. Army placed 24th in the team standings, but broke Academy regional record for a 54-hole team composite by 14 strokes (904) in addition to posting the first sub-300 stroke round ever by an Army golf team in regional play (298).

One of Clevenger's stars this season was Luher, who etched his name into the Army record books at the East Regional as well. Luher's 54-hole total of 220 was two strokes better than the previous best individual effort at the regionals, setting a new Academy record. A second team all-Patriot League selection, Luher owned the lowest stroke average amongst Army golfers this spring at 75.7. A mainstay in Army's lineup throughout the season, Luher also posted a strong fall campaign during which he averaged 75.8 strokes per outing.

Luher will return as team captain in the fall, while Clevenger will enter his 16th season on the banks of the Hudson.

PING All-Region Team - New England
Kenneth Fahey, Rhode Island
Patrick Fillian, Sacred Heart
Steve Gray, Yale
Larry Haertel, Brown
Fraser Hunt, Rhode Island
Austin Luher, Army
Mark Matza, Yale
Jason Pannone, Rhode Island
Jason Parajeckas, Connecticut
Brendan Ray, Central Connecticut State
Rick Reissman, Yale
Alex Snickenberger, Boston College
Chad Spencer, Rhode Island
Ben Spitz, Rhode Island
Jeff Wolniewicz, Binghamton
Coach of the Year: Jimmy Ray Clevenger