June 8, 2006
Senior Alejandro Canizares earned first-team honors, junior Niklas Lemke earned third-team and freshman Benjamin Alvarado Holley was an honorable mention selection by the Golf Coaches Association of America as it announced the Division I PING All-America teams.
Canizares, who finished tied for sixth at the 2006 NCAA Championships, finished his career with a 71.46 stroke average in 49 events. He won six career tournaments, including the 2003 NCAA title, and had 22 top-10 finishes. This past season he posted a 71.22 stroke average, seventh-best in ASU history, and had five top-five appearances.
He ended tied for third on the ASU career wins list with six, behind Phil Mickelson (16) and Billy Mayfair (8) and tied with Paul Casey and Charlie Gibson.
Canizares, who earned first-team honors in 2003 and third-team honors in 2004 and 2005, is just the fourth Sun Devil to earn All-America honors all four years, joining Todd Demsey (1992-95), Phil Mickelson (1989-92) and Billy Mayfair (1985-88).
Lemke earned his second All-America honor after notching honorable mention in 2005. He posted a 71.68 stroke average this year in 13 events including five top-10 finishes and four top-five finishes. He has a 72.70 stroke average 36 career events through three seasons. He was 18-under par in his final five tournaments.
Alvarado Holley had a 72.50 stroke average, the fifth-best freshman season in ASU history. He posted one top-10 finish as he tied for seventh at the Southern Highlands Championship in Las Vegas (March 10-12). He played in 10 tournaments on the year, fourth-most on the team.
A total of 32 golfers were named honorable mention All-America.
Division I PING All-America Teams First Team Ryan Baca, Baylor Alejandro Cañizares, Arizona State Rhys Davies, East Tennessee State Matt Every, Florida Oscar Floren, Texas Tech Billy Horschel, Florida Dustin Johnson, Coastal Carolina Chris Kirk, Georgia Pablo Martin, Oklahoma State Jonathan Moore, Oklahoma State
Second Team Ryan Blaum, Duke Jay Choi, New Mexico Erik Flores, UCLA Mark Haastrup, Georgia State Brian Harman, Georgia Anthony Kim, Oklahoma Kyle Reifers, Wake Forest Brett Stegmaier, Florida Cameron Tringale, Georgia Tech Dawie Van der Walt, Lamar
Third Team Andrew Dresser, Texas Tech Andres Gonzales, UNLV Rob Grube, Stanford Kevin Larsen, Georgia Tech Niklas Lemke, Arizona State Stephen Lewton, NC State Alex Prugh, Washington Martin Ureta, North Carolina James Vargas, Florida Taylor Wood, Southern California
Honorable Mention Benjamin Alvarado Holley, Arizona State Zach Bixler, Washington Roberto Castro, Georgia Tech Kevin Chappell, UCLA Alex Coe, Pepperdine Brian Duncan, Clemson Jake Ellison, Brigham Young Travis Esway, Arizona Daniel Im, UCLA Eirik Johansen, South Carolina Kevin Kisner, Georgia Russell Knox, Jacksonville Matt Kohn, Kentucky Bronson LaCassie, Minnesota Tyler Leon, Oklahoma State James Lepp, Washington Luke List, Vanderbilt Brian Locke, Loyola Marymount James Love, Denver Edward McGlasson, Colorado Andrew Parr, Texas A&M Stephen Poole, Clemson Richard Scott, Georgia Webb Simpson, Wake Forest Dusty Smith, Lamar Scott Stallings, Tennesse Tech Daniel Summerhays, Brigham Young Jared Texter, UNLV Brendon Todd, Georgia Niall Turner, Minnesota Casey Watabu, Nevada Andy Winings, Kentucky