DeLand, Fla. - Stetson senior Sam Ryder (Longwood, Fla.), the 2012 Atlantic Sun men's golf tournament champion, was named a First Team All-Atlantic Sun selection as well as an All-Conference Academic Team member this week. This is Ryder's first promotion to the First Team after back-to-back Second Team honors as a sophomore and junior.

Ryder, the first Hatter to make the All-Atlantic Sun First Team since Tommy Parker in 2009, in April became the first Stetson men's golfer to capture the A-Sun tournament individual title since Tom Creavy in 1991 and just the second Hatter overall to accomplish the feat. Ryder joins Mark Leetzow '89 and Dray Summers '93 as the only three-time All-Conference men's golfers in school history. He will become the first player in school history to participate in the NCAA regionals later this month, earning an automatic bid by virtue of his A-Sun victory in Braselton, Ga.

A-Sun superlative awards went to Sean Dale (Player of the Year), Joey Petronio (Freshman of the Year) and Scott Schroeder (Coach of the Year), all from conference champion North Florida.

Ryder also was selected to the inaugural All-Conference Academic Team for combining his stellar golf with a GPA of at least 3.3 or higher. ETSU's Rhys Enoch was named A-Sun Men's Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

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