Conners honored with Merle Wagoner Award
4/17/2014 11:05:00 AM | Men's Golf
KENT, Ohio – All-American men's golfer Corey Conners was honored as the 2014 winner of the Merle Wagoner Award as the outstanding senior male athlete at Kent State University during Sunday's Athletic Academic Honors Dinner.
The award is presented to the male member of the senior class who has demonstrated the most exceptional combined qualities of leadership, positive image, athletic ability and academic performance.
Conners joined gymnast Marie Case, who was honored on Sunday with the Janet Bachna Award as the outstanding senior female athlete at Kent State.
"I think the Merle Wagoner Award is the greatest honor you can receive as a student-athlete here at Kent State," said Golden Flashes men's head coach Herb Page. "We are thrilled for Corey and we are very proud of how he handles himself and his business on the golf course, in the classroom and in the community."
On the golf course, Conners has led the men's golf team to three straight Mid-American Conference championship titles and three consecutive NCAA appearances, including a 5th place finish as a team and a 4th place finish as an individual in 2012.
Conners is a two-time PING All-American, two-time first team all-MAC performer and MAC Golfer of the Year. His most recent victory came at the prestigious Jones Cup Invitational in Sea Island, GA.
He began the spring season ranked 22nd in the Scratch Players World Amateur Rankings and 41st in the R&A World Amateur Golf Rankings.
In the classroom, Conners is just as impressive, carrying a 3.45 GPA in Actuarial Mathematics while twice earning an academic all-MAC selection.
Since 1985, 11 men's golfers have been honored as Merle Wagoner Award winners, including, Mark Wise in 1985, Paul DeCorso in 1989, Rob Moss in 1990, Brian Bridges in 1991, Eric Frishette in 1994, Bryan DeCorso in 1995, Donnie Darr in 1996, Ben Curtis in 2000, Jon Mills in 2001, John Hahn in 2011 and Mackenzie in Hughes 2012.
