Albers Named Sun Belt Golfer of the Year While Harrington Claims Coach of the Year

NEW ORLEANS – Little Rock has claimed a pair of major Sun Belt Conference men's golf accolades as Anton Albers has been named the league's Golfer of the Year while Jake Harrington brings home Coach of the Year honors.
 
Albers was also named a first team All-Sun Belt selection, being joined by Magnus Lomholt on the first team and Jansen Smith on the second team as the 2022 Sun Belt champions placed a league-best three golfers on the first and second all-conference teams.
 
Albers becomes the first Trojan in program history to win Golfer of the Year honors, ending the regular season as the league's top-ranked golfer at number 32 in the latest GolfStat rankings. Albers boasts a 70.70 scoring average, which currently ranks as the best in program history, finishing in the top-10 individually in eight of the nine events he competed in this season.
 
The Buchholz, Germany native captured the individual title at the Little Rock Invitational with a 13-under 203, the third individual tournament title of his career, while finishing second at both the Lake Las Vegas Intercollegiate and the Sun Belt Conference Championship. Albers has registered 19 rounds of par-or-better in 27 total rounds this season with 10 of those rounds scoring in the 60s.
 
Harrington becomes the second coach in program history to earn Sun Belt Coach of the Year honors, joining Trojan Hall of Famer Wyn Norwood who captured the honor three times (1994, 2001 and 2012). Harrington led Little Rock to its third Sun Belt Conference title in 2022, joining the 2000 and 2001 teams, and has the Trojans ranked 43rd nationally, tied for the best in program history.
 
Under Harrington's guidance, Little Rock won or shared three team tournament titles in 2021-22, capturing the Little Rock Invitational while tying for the team championship at the Desert Mountain Collegiate and the Sun Belt Conference stroke play event, finishing in the top-five in seven of 10 events. As a team, the Trojans boast a 287.70 scoring average, less than a stroke off the pace of the program record 286.97 set in 2018-19.
 
Lomholt joins Albers on the All-Sun Belt first team, ranking second on the team with a 72.23 scoring average, which is currently the sixth-best in program history. A two-time Sun Belt Golfer of the Week, Lomholt has registered 17 rounds of par-or-better this season with four top-10 individual finishes, including a runner-up showing at both the Little Rock Invitational and the Desert Mountain Collegiate.
 
Smith was a major addition to the Trojan roster in 2021-22, ranking third on the team with a 72.79 scoring average and 14 rounds of par-or-better, including seven rounds in the 60s. Smith had three top-20 individual finishes, highlighted by a runner-up showing at the Trinity Forest Invitational with an 8-under 205, while also finishing fifth at the Lake Las Vegas Intercollegiate. Smith was a key component of the Trojans' championship drive, birdieing both the 16th and 17th holes in the match play final to secure the swing match for Little Rock.
 
With the three honorees, Little Rock closes out its time in the Sun Belt Conference with 36 total All-Sun Belt honors across 22 players, dating back to when the Trojans joined the league during the 1991-92 season.
 
After securing the automatic bid to the postseason last week, Little Rock now waits to see where it will be sent for regional action. The 2022 NCAA Men's Golf Selection Show will be held Wednesday, May 4 at 3 p.m. CT and will be aired live on the Golf Channel.
 
2022 All-Sun Belt Honors
 
Golfer of the Year: Anton Albers – Little Rock
Freshman of the Year: Eli Ortego – Louisiana
Newcomer of the Year: Jack Hearn – South Alabama
Coach of the Year: Jake Harrington – Little Rock
 
All-Sun Belt First Team
Anton Albers – Little Rock
Magnus Lomholt – Little Rock
Ben Carr – Georgia Southern
Mason Williams – Georgia Southern
Peter Hinnant – Louisiana
Jack Hearn – South Alabama
 
All-Sun Belt Second Team
Jansen Smith – Little Rock
Luka Naglic – Arkansas State
Christofer Rahm – Arkansas State
Paul Gonazlez – UT Arlington
Evan White – Texas State
Brantley Scott – Troy
 
All-Sun Belt Third Team
Timothius Tirto Tamardi – App State
Wilson Andress – Georgia Southern
Eli Ortego – Louisiana
Jacob LeCroy – South Alabama
Kyle Cox – UT Arlington
Will McFadden – Troy
 
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