Trahan Named Academic All-American

June 12, 2002

Clemson, SC – Clemson junior D.J. Trahan, the winner of the Jack Nicklaus Award as the College Golfer of the Year, has been named a third-team Verizon Academic All-American by the College Sports Information Directors of America. Trahan was chosen to the third-team Spring At Large Team.

Trahan was in competition with all athletes in the sports of swimming, hockey, tennis, gymnastics, men’s volleyball, water polo, wresting and golf. Trahan holds a 3.22 career GPA and it is his first selection to an Academic All-America team.

Trahan, a native of Inman, SC, was one of five golfer chosen on the three teams. The others were Brad Morris of Eastern Kentucky, Dan Will of Ball State, Wil Collins of New Mexico, and Steve Ratay of Notre Dame.

With this selection, Trahan becomes the first Clemson athlete in history to be named national player of the year and an academic All-America in the same year. He joins Tiger football center Kyle Young as the only athletes this year to be named All-American on the field and in the classroom.

Trahan is the third Clemson golfer to earn academic All-American and on the course All-American honors in the same year. Jonathan Byrd, now on the PGA Tour, did it as a junior (1998-99) and senior (1999-00), while Oswald Drawdy did it as a senior in 1989-90.

Trahan led the Tigers to a third place NCAA finish in 2002 by finishing eighth at the NCAA Tournament at Ohio State. His 70.33 stroke average for the year was eighth best in NCAA history. He was named the winner of the Ben Hogan Award as the top amateur in college golf and the Jack Nicklaus Award as the College Player of the Year as chosen by the Coach’s Association.

Clemson Athletic/Academic Doubles (Clemson athletes who have been first, second or third team All-American on and off the field in the same year):

Year Player                  Sport           Field   Acad1959-60 Lou Cordileone          Football                1st     1st1978-79 Steve Fuller            Football                3rd     1st1985-86 Tina Krebs              Women's Track   1st     2nd1986-87 Ingelise Driehuis               Women's Tennis  1st     1st1988-89 Dov Kremer              Men's Track     1st     1st1989-90 Oswald Drawdy           Golf            3rd     1st1998-99 Jonathan  Byrd          Golf            1st     1st1999-00 Jonathan  Byrd          Golf            3rd     1st2000-01 Kyle Young              Football                2nd     1st2001-02 Kyle Young              Football                3rd     1st        D.J. Trahan             Golf            1st     3rd