Three Saluki women's golfers earn MVC Scholar-Athlete recognition
04/28/2016 | 12:00:00 | Women's Golf
By Elizabeth Robinson
SIUSalukis.com
ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- Three members of the Saluki women's golf team earned MVC Scholar-Athlete honors, the Valley announced on Thursday. Junior Brooke Cusumano earned first team MVC Scholar-Athlete recognition for the second time in her career, while Hanna Netisingha and Kristie Yang were each named Honorable Mention MVC Scholar-Athletes.
Cusumano's first team Scholar-Athlete recognition comes just a year after she earned the MVC Elite 18 Award, which honors the highest achievement in academics and athletics by a student-athlete in each MVC-sponsored sport. Cusumano maintained her reputation on and off the course this year, posting a perfect 4.0 cumulative grade point average in accounting.
This season, Cusumano competed in every tournament for the Salukis this season, including the MVC Championship, and was SIU's top finisher at five. She earned one individual title this season as the top finisher of 75 golfers at the Murray State Invitational in September with a career-best 148 36-hole score. Cusumano also had an impressive finish when she shot a season-best round of 70 in the final round of the ORU/SFA Spring Break Invite to finish tied for eighth of 100 with a season-best 220 score. She finished the season with 25 rounds in the 70s, and led the Salukis with a 76.48 stroke average through 31 rounds, which ranks fifth all-time at SIU for best stroke average in a season.
Sophomore Hanna Netisingha earns Scholar-Athlete recognition for the first time this season after a strong showing at the MVC Championships. Netisingha came away as the Salukis' top finisher, tying for 12th place with an overall 229 score. A successful season led to Netisingha's top performance, after competing in each of the Salukis' tournaments and coming away as SIU's top finisher at three. Netisingha had several career-bests this season, with a round of 70 at the Red Wolves Invitational in October and a 224 54-hole score at the FGCU Eagle Invitational where she tied for 3rd of 83 players. Overall, Netisingha finished the season with 21 rounds in the 70s, and ranks 16th in the MVC and third for the Salukis with a 77.81 stroke average through 31 rounds. Netisingha currently holds a 3.643 cumulative GPA in zoology.
Kristie Yang's season wrapped up with her first trip to the MVC tournament. On top of maintaining a 3.927 cumulative GPA in healthcare management, Yang competed in 10 tournaments for the Salukis, and in another three as an individual this season. Her best finish came in October when Yang came away as SIU's top finisher at the Red Wolves Classic. There, she finished 5th of 33 golfers with a career-best 225 54-hole score. Yang shot a season-low 73 three times this season, and posted 18 rounds in the 70s. Overall, she finished the season with a 78.74 stroke average through 31 rounds.
In order to earn MVC Scholar-Athlete recognition, student-athletes must have at least a 3.20 cumulative grade point average, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing and must have participated in at least 50 percent of her team's rounds or played at the MVC Championship.
