OGLETHORPE'S ERB AND WILLIAMS HEADLINE SOUTHERN COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE’S 15TH ANNIVERSARY MEN’S GOLF TEAM

SUWANEE, Ga. – Oglethorpe University’s Trent Erb and Tolliver Williams, the only two-time Players-of-the-Year in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference men's golfing history, highlight an impressive list of 14 past standouts named to the SCAC's 15th Anniversary men’s golf team.

Erb, the league's Golfer-of-the-Year in 2003 and 2004, set the all-time conference championship 36-hole record when he fired a two-day total of 141 at the 2003 championships at Hulman Links Golf Club in Terre Haute, Ind. The old mark of 142 had stood since 1964. At that same championship, he became the first player in championships history to post a sub-70 final round score with his second-round 69. Oglethorpe won three conference championships during his four-year tenure. A two-time All-American selection, Erb capped his career by being named the recipient of the 2004 Jack Nicklaus Award - awarded to Division III Men's Golfer-of-the-Year.

Williams earned Golfer-of-the-Year honors in 1996 and 1998, and if not for the washout of the 1997 championships, could have been the only three-time medalist. His 146 at the 1998 championships was a then SCAC championship best and remains the largest margin of victory in conference history (9 shots). His record-setting performance also propelled Oglethorpe to its first conference men's golf title. Williams was named the school's first men's golf All-American that same year and led the Petrels to their first-ever appearance in the Division III national championships.

The Petrels placed five former players on the all-anniversary team. Joining Erb and Williams on the team from Oglethorpe is Robert Fink, Robert Miller and Chris Summers.

Fink finished second as a freshman at the 1999 championships, a shot behind the eventual winner, before earning a two-shot victory to earn SCAC Men's Golfer-of-the-Year honors in 2000 at Stonebridge Golf Club in Cordova, Tenn. The Petrels won three conference titles during Fink's tenure. As a freshman, Miller finished third at the 2000 SCAC Championships and duplicated the feat as a senior in 2003 when OU won its fourth consecutive men's golf championship. Summers is one of just four golfers to earn First Team All-SCAC honors three times during his career (2001-03). Summers bookended those awards with a SCAC Men's Golfer-of-the-Year award at the 2002 championships at Deerfield Country Club in Madison, Miss. A two-time All-American (2002-03), he and Miller are the only members of the all-anniversary team to play on four conference championship teams.

Sewanee-University of the South placed three golfers on the all-anniversary team - Jack Fraleigh, Chris Rainey and Tee Stribling.

Fraleigh earned All-SCAC honors three times in his career, including his freshman season when he lost in a playoff for medalist honors at Rolling Meadows Club in Gosport, Ind., in 2001. Rainey is one of the four anniversary team members that earned First Team All-SCAC honors three times in their career (1994-96), culminating with a career-best third place finish at the 1996 championships on his home course at Sewanee. As a junior, he helped the 1995 Tiger team to its only SCAC men's golf title. Stribling was a three-time All-SCAC performer, including First Team honors in 1998 and 1999. He finished tied for fourth at the 1999 championships at the Quarry Golf Club in San Antonio, Texas.

Trinity University placed two players on the team - Derek Birkeland and Ward Downing.

Birkeland, a two-time All-SCAC selection, earned Golfer-of-the-Year honors in 1994 at Atlanta National Golf Club when he outlasted teammate Tom Ming in the longest playoff in conference history to determine medalist honors (four holes). At that same championship, the Tigers set the SCAC record for largest margin of victory with a 40-shot win over second-place University of the South. Downing gave Trinity back-to-back Golfers-of-the-Year when he earned the honor in 1995 at Chenal Country Club in Little Rock, Ark. A two-time All-SCAC performer, Downing was the medalist runner-up the following year.

Justin Long of Hendrix almost became the school's first Golfer-of-the-Year when he tied for individual honors with a closing round 71 (the best round of the day) at the 2004 SCAC Championships. He lost medalist honors on the first playoff hole at Renaissance Pine Isle Resort to Oglethorpe's Erb. Long also earned All-SCAC honors in 2001 and 2002.

Russ Hawkins of Millsaps, a two-time All-SCAC performer, captured Golfer-of-the-Year honors at the 1993 SCAC Championships held at Woodlake Country Club in San Antonio, Texas. His performance helped the Majors to their second consecutive men's title.

Bryan Gibbs of Southwestern holds the distinction of being the only four-time All-SCAC performer. He earned Second Team honors as a freshman in 1999 and First Team honors the following three years. He finished second and led the Pirates to their highest finish ever (second place) at the 2000 Championships. The following year, Gibbs finished tied for third in the individual race - just one shot back from the leaders.

The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference will be announcing 15th Anniversary teams in all 18 sports during the 2005-06 academic year. The SCAC was formed in 1991 after a reorganization of its predecessor, the College Athletic Conference (CAC). The CAC dates to 1962 with four charter members: Centre College, Southwestern @ Memphis (now Rhodes College), Sewanee-The University of the South, and Washington & Lee (Va.) University. Washington (Mo.) University joined the CAC later that same year.

The SCAC was formed to provide an association through which the member institutions may encourage organized competition in intercollegiate sports among teams representative of their respective student bodies. Members of this conference share a commitment to priority of the overall quality of academic standards and quality educational experiences.

The SCAC’s 15th Anniversary teams were selected in each sport through balloting by present coaches and administrators. Athletes who participated in conference competition between the fall of 1991 through the spring of 2005 and had been named to at least two All-SCAC teams were eligible for selection.

x First Team All-SCAC
+ Second Team All-SCAC
# Golfer-of-the-Year

Due to weather, championships were not contested in 1997

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