NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State men's golf team, along with four individual members, have earned academic honors from the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA). The four Redbird individuals to earn the honor are Dan Anfield, Andrew O'Brien, David Perkins, and Felix van Dijk.
The men's team earned an All-Academic Team designation after finishing the season with above a 3.0 grade point average.
Individually four golfers earned 2020-21 NCAA Division I All-American Scholars designations, presented by Srixon/Cleveland Golf. To be eligible for Srixon/Cleveland Golf All0America Scholar status an individual must be a sophomore, junior, or senior both academically and athletically. In addition, they must participate in 40 percent of his team's competitive rounds, have a stroke average under 76.0, and maintain a minimum cumulative career grade-point average of 3.2. A recipient must also be of high moral character and be in good standing at his college or university.
Dan Anfield, a native of Channahon, Illinois, averaged 74.6 strokes per round over the seven tournaments during the season while recording seven rounds at or under par. He carded a season-low 68 at the Boilermaker Invitational on April 10 and finished eighth at the 2021 MVC Championship.
Andrew O'Brien, from Clive, Iowa, ended the season with the team's second-lowest scoring average at 74.2 strokes per round. He had six of his 18 rounds on the year at or under par and added a fourth-place finish at the 2021 MVC Championship, including a final round 69 (three under par).
David Perkins, originally from East Peoria, Illinois, the two-time defending MVC Golfer of the Year, and PING Third Team All-American in 2020, has the conference record for the most Golfer of the Week honors over a career. In 2020-21 he led the Redbirds with a 72.8 scoring average, with three top-10 finishes and a top five finish on the season. Half of his 24 rounds on the season were at or under par. Perkins qualified as an at-large selection to the NCAA Noblesville Regional, and had a season-low round of 204 (-12) at the Missouri Tiger Intercollegiate – earning runner-up honors at the event.
Felix van Dijk, a native of Tilburg, Holland, played in 21 rounds during the year with two rounds at or under par and one top-10 finish on the season. His scoring average was 75.4 for the year, and his top-10 finish came at the MVC Championship where he tied for 10th place in the field. His season-low round came at the 36th Annual Louisiana Classics, with an opening-round 70.
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