University Park, Pa. — Senior Kevin Foley (Sommerville, N.J.) and redshirt-junior T.J. Howe (Osceola, Pa.) have been named PING Honorable Mention All-Americans, as announced today by the Golf Coaches Association of America. This year’s honors mark the first time in program history that two Penn State golfers have received All-American recognition in the same season.
"Kevin and T.J. both had tremendous years for Penn State," said Penn State head coach Greg Nye. "Kevin will go down as possibly the finest, and easily one of the most decorated players we have ever seen in the Blue and White.
"T.J. winning the NCAA East Regional was a huge achievement, and not at all surprising to those who know his competitive nature. I am thrilled for them, and indeed proud."
With Foley and Howe’s honors, Penn State men’s golfers have accumulated 17 All-America honors in program history.
The 2010 All-America honor is the third of Foley’s career. Only Dan O’Neill (1970-73) accumulated more All-America honors while at Penn State, grabbing four during his Penn State career. The program’s only three-time All-Big Ten selection, including back-to-back first team nods, Foley’s All-America honor brought his distinguished Nittany Lion career to a fitting end. His spring was highlighted by a win at the Kepler Intercollegiate after posting an unprecedented 69-68-68, 205-tournament total. Foley’s 8-under-par tournament-total, 205, set the Kepler individual scoring record by five strokes and earned him his second Big Ten Golfer of the Week honor of his career. Foley was fourth at NCAA Regionals this year, helping propel the Nittany Lions to their second NCAA Nationals appearance in the past three years. Foley is one of only four Nittany Lions to be named All-Region each year of their Penn State career.
Howe’s All-America honor is the first of his career and follows the redshirt-junior’s second All-Region honor. He performed brilliantly at NCAA Regionals this year, earning Golfweek’s National Golfer of the Week after tying for the top spot. Howe’s win marked the first time in program history a Penn State golfer finished at the top of an NCAA Regional. He blazed through the final 18 holes posting a career-low 4-under par, 66. The Pennsylvania native shot rounds of 69-68-66 (203) to trump the highly ranked field and help earn Penn State a fourth-place finish. Howe qualified for a U.S. Open sectional qualifier this year after competing at the Quicksilver Golf Course outside of Pittsburgh, Pa., where he carded a 2-under par 70 to tie for third and advance.
Penn State advanced to the NCAA Nationals this year for the fourth time in program history and the second time in the past three years.