Birmingham, Alabama – Three Bulldogs were recognized on the annual All-Southeastern Conference Awards: graduate Ben van Wyk on the All-SEC Second Team, Camden Smith on the All-SEC Freshman Team, and senior Caleb Manuel on the All-SEC Community Service Team, the league office announced on Friday morning.
“I’m really excited for Ben to earn All-SEC honors,” stated head coach Chris Haack. “He worked hard to develop his game and performed admirably as a team captain during his last season of collegiate golf. Camden’s selection to the All-Freshman Team is a testament to his performance this season and his prospects for the next three years. We’re also very proud of Caleb for his community service and demonstrating what it means to be a Georgia Bulldog.”
This is van Wyk’s first All-SEC accolade, and he is the 46th Bulldog to be named to the All-SEC Second Team out of 50 total choices. Georgia has received 109 all-conference honors in its history, including first and second teams. Similarly, Smith is the seventh Georgia player to make the All-SEC Freshman Team, and the fourth in the previous seven seasons.
Van Wyk recently completed his finest collegiate season, finishing with a 70.2 stroke average, which ranks sixth in program history. During the 2023-24 season, the 2024 Dick Copas Award winner finished five times in the top ten and had 14 rounds in the 60s, a team high. Van Wyk, a PhD student, finished tied for second in the Calusa Cup, the penultimate tournament of the regular season, with a five-under 211 total.
Smith scored two top-10 finishes in his debut collegiate season, finishing sixth at the Linger Longer Invitational and seventh during stroke play at the SEC Championships. In the team’s most recent event, the conference title on St Simon’s Island, Smith led the individual standings after the first round at five-under 65 and ended tied for second in the field with 15 birdies.
Manuel received his first Community Service Team honor after the 2023-24 season. The senior has previously worked with Team Impact, helped with the Bulldog Open in 2022 and 2023, and volunteered at the Mt. Ararat Golf Camp, assisting children with their technique and golf management. Manuel’s best finish came in stroke play at the SEC Championships, where he tied for eighth with Smith after shooting four-under 206.
The NCAA Austin Regional will be held from May 13 to 15, and the squad will begin its quest for its third national championship. The Bulldogs will be the fourth seed in the Regional, which will be contested at the University of Texas Golf Club. The top five teams from each of the five regionals will progress to the 30-team NCAA Championships, which will be held at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California, from May 24-29. The lowest-scoring person whose team does not progress will also be eligible to participate alone at the NCAA Championships.
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