Butler Golfers Will Turner, Niki Garden Earn All-Academic Honors

May 25, 2006

Butler golfers Will Turner and Niki Garden have been named to the 2005-06 ESPN The Magazine District V All-Academic At-Large Team, selected by members of CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America). Turner was one of ten athletes chosen to the first team of the men's at-large squad, while Garden earned second team honors on the women's at-large team. The District V honor squads were chosen from Division I athletes at schools in Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ontario and Manitoba.

To be eligible for Academic All-District consideration, athletes must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 or higher on a 4.00 scale, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director. The At-Large Team covers the sports of fencing, golf, gymnastics, hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, tennis, men's volleyball, water polo and wrestling

Turner, a senior majoring in finance, was the Most Valuable Player on Butler's 2005-06 men's golf team. He led the team in scoring with a 76.59 average, and he tied for first place at the 2006 Horizon League Men's Golf Championship. He was named to the Horizon League All-Tournament Team in 2006, and he named to the Horizon League Academic All-League Team in 2005. He received the league's Sportsmanship Award this spring.

Garden, a sophomore majoring in pre-pharmacy, is a two-time first team All-Horizon League performer. She's a two-time league All-Tournament pick, and she was named Horizon League Newcomer of the Year in 2005. She was Butler's third-leading scorer in 2005-06 with a 79.71 average, and she tied for third at the 2006 Horizon League Women's Golf Championship.

As a first team pick, Turner is now eligible for Academic All-America consideration. The District V honorees will join all-academic picks from seven other districts as the pool of nominees for the 2006 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America At-Large Team.