Jackets’ Larson Named All-Conference (5/1/06)

BILLINGS, MT – Montana State-Billings golfer Nick Larson was named to the All-Heartland Conference First Team on Monday.  The sophomore from Riverton, Wyo., was the only Yellowjacket to earn all-conference honors. 

Larson begins the first round of the NCAA South/South Central Super Regional on Monday at the Territory Golf Club in Duncan, Okla.  He is the only Montana State-Billings golfer to qualify for an NCAA Super Regional since the program started playing NCAA golf in 2002.  This week’s tournament will be Larson’s second Super Regional in as many years.

The All-Heartland Conference teams were dominated by players from Texas.  St. Mary’s and St. Edward’s each placed two players on the five-member first team with Larson breaking up the Lone Star sweep.  The two schools also combined for three of the five spots on the second team.  Two players from Western New Mexico were selected to the second team.

The Heartland Conference player of the year was Jamie Amoretti, a junior from St. Mary’s.  Aaron Bradshaw of Dallas Baptist was chosen as the freshman of the year, and Western New Mexico’s Kent Beatty was named the coach of the year.

ALL-HEARTLAND 1ST TEAM
Jeff Howard, St. Edward’s (So. Plano, Tex.)
Jamie Amoretti, St. Mary’s (Jr. San Antonio, Tex.)
Blake Slaughter, St. Edward’s (Jr. Rockwall, Tex.)
Greg McAuley, St. Mary’s (Sr. Cloverdale, BC, Canada)
Nicholas Larson, Montana State-Billings (So. Riverton, Wyo.) 

ALL-HEARTLAND 2ND TEAM
Nick Cristea, St. Edward’s (Jr. Cypress, Tex.)
Chris Schofield, Western New Mexico (So. Parksville, BC, Canada)
Jason Myers, Western New Mexico (Sr. Albuquerque, N.M.)
KC Lim, St. Mary’s (Jr. San Antonio, Tex.)
Braden Graham, St. Mary’s (Sr. Medicine Hat, AB, Canada) 

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Aaron Bradshaw, Dallas Baptist 

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jamie Amoretti, St. Mary’s 

COACH OF THE YEAR
Kent Beatty, Western New Mexico