Four Lady Racer Golfers Named NGCA All-American Scholars

Murray State's Christi Baron, Bethany Yates, Andrea Downer, and Megan McKinney were four of 368 collegiate women golfers named to the National Golf Coaches Association All-American Scholar Team today.

The criteria for selection of this prestigious honor were some of the most stringent of all college athletics. The minimum cumulative GPA is 3.50 and the student-athletes must have competed in at least 50 percent of the college's regularly scheduled competitive rounds during the year.

“I am very proud of the four players who made this team,” said Velvet Milkman, MSU head women's golf coach. “In my mind, it's the highest honor a collegiate women's golfer can receive. To have four players selected to this prestigious team, it just shows the depth of our team.”

Baron, from Louisville, recently finished her eligibility this season for the Racers, capping off her spectacular four-year career with an All-Ohio Valley Conference First Team selection. Baron was also named Murray State's Coca-Cola Community All-American for her excellence in community service. This marks the third time that Baron has earned a place on the NGCA All-American Scholar Team. Baron majored in nutrition/dietetics.

A junior from Bardstown, Yates built on her strong freshman season with an even more impressive sophomore season in 2006-07, finishing with three top-10 finishes in 12 events, including a 79-79-80 (238) finish at the OVC Championships in April, good for 7^th place out of 40 golfers. This selection is the second time Yates has appeared on the NGCA All-American Scholar Team. Yates is majoring in communication disorders.

“You just can't say enough about Christi and Bethany,” Milkman said. “Both are joys to coach and both have been two of the most consistent golfers in their careers, on and off the golf course.”

Downer, a sophomore from Surrey, England, recently concluded one of the best freshman seasons in the history of the MSU women's golf program. She was a First Team All-OVC selection, was named to the All-OVC Newcomer team, and also was named on the OVC All-Tournament team for her performance at the OVC Championships, where Downer finished in fifth place with rounds of 80-76-79, good for a 235 score. In 12 events, Downer turned in six top-10 finishes. Downer is majoring in independent studies.

McKinney finished the season on a strong note as well, participating in 11 events and finishing with an 82.2 scoring average. The sophomore from Louisville finished 19^th out of 76 golfers in the Eastern Kentucky University Spring Invitational on April 5-7, her highest finish of the season. She is majoring in animal science.

“To make this team as a freshman is very special,” Milkman said. “Having to adjust to college and being successful in the classroom your first year just speaks volumes about the character of Andrea and Megan.”

Murray State University Athletics

Four Lady Racer Golfers Named NGCA All-American Scholars

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