Oliva Pinto, Perico, Lozada Earn SEC Honors
FAYETTEVILLE – The Southeastern Conference announced its 2021 men’s golf conference awards, as voted by the league’s head coaches, and featured Arkansas’ Segundo Oliva Pinto (first team All-SEC), Julian Perico (second team All-SEC) and Manuel Lozada (SEC All-Freshman team).
This is the second straight year Arkansas has put two student-athletes on the All-SEC team. This is the first time since 2012 Arkansas has put at least two players on the All-SEC team and had a Razorback make the SEC All-Freshman team.
Oliva Pinto made first team All-SEC by virtue of him winning the conference championship. He became the third Razorback to win an SEC title. His opening-round 64 was the best by a Razorback to open the championship, tied the school record for the lowest round ever at the championship and tied for the third-best, opening-round in SEC history. His 54-hole total of 204 (66-72-68) was the second-best score in school history at the SEC Championship. His 6-under-par finish was third-best in relation to par by a Razorback at the SEC Championship.
Perico earns his third SEC honor as he was tabbed first team last season and voted to the SEC All-Freshman team two seasons ago. Perico is the fourth Razorback to be named to the All-SEC at least two times as well as being named to the All-Freshman team, joining Ethan Tracy, Sebastian Cappelen and Taylor Moore. Perico won the Legends Collegiate this season, ranks #46 in the nation and was named to the 2021 Palmer Cup – Team International.
Perico has led the Razorbacks in scoring in each of his three years at Arkansas, including a school-record 70.38 last season, 70.96 this season to rank third and 71.54 in 2081-19 which ranks 10th in school history and is a UA freshman record. With that, his career scoring average of 71.07 is currently a school record. Perico also holds the UA career record for eagles (17) and eagles in a season with eight this year. In 89 of his career rounds played with the Razorbacks, Perico’s score has counted 82 times.
Lozada is the ninth Razorback to be named to the All-Freshman team. He posted a 73.59 scoring average, earned SEC Freshman of the Week once and was 2-1 in match play at the SEC Championship with his lone loss coming on the 18th hole versus Vanderbilt’s William Moll, who is ranked 17th in the nation. Lozada tied for 16th in his collegiate debut and tied for 19th at the Legends Collegiate, both events featuring SEC-only fields. He closed the regular season with a sixth-place finish at the Collegiate Invitational versus a 14-team field that featured 13 of the nation’s top 50 programs.
The Razorbacks return to action Monday (May 17) for the NCAA Kingston Springs (Tenn.) Regional, hosted by Vanderbilt.
FIRST TEAM ALL-SEC
Segundo Oliva Pinto, Arkansas
Ryan Hall, South Carolina
Sam Bennett, Texas A&M
Davis Thompson, Georgia
William Moll, Vanderbilt
Trent Phillips, Georgia
Ford Clegg, Mississippi State
Jackson Suber, Ole Miss
Wilson Furr, Alabama
SECOND TEAM ALL-SEC
Julian Perico, Arkansas
Ross Steelman, Missouri
Andrew Kozan, Auburn
Thomas Ponder, Alabama
Hunter Wolcott, Tennessee
Dan Erickson, Texas A&M
Garrett Barber, LSU
Ricky Castillo, Florida
COACH OF THE YEAR
Scott Limbaugh, Vanderbilt
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Davis Thompson, Georgia
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Joe Pagdin, Florida
ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
Joe Pagdin, Florida
Jim Butler, Auburn
Cole Sherwood, Vanderbilt
Tyler Wilkes, Florida
Canon Claycomb, Alabama
Manuel Lozada, Arkansas
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