CARLSBAD, Calif. – Junior Brendan Valdes and freshman Jackson Koivun of Auburn men's golf were among the 12 Division I players to be named a First Team All-American by PING and the Golf Coaches Association Wednesday.
It is the first time an Auburn man has been named a First Team All-American since Michael Johnson in 2016, and the first time two Tigers players have made the list since Chip Spratlin and Iain Steel in 1995. Auburn and Georgia Tech were the only programs with multiple players named to the first team.
Valdes was named an Honorable Mention All-American last season.
Not only has the duo amassed a joint resume that includes three wins, 15 top-five finishes, 50 subpar rounds and over 300 birdies made this season but Valdes and Koivun are also set to represent the United States later this summer at the 2024 Palmer Cup.
Both players have been in the Tigers' lineup for all nine of their record-breaking tournament victories this year. This evening, Wednesday, May 29, the pair puts their seasons on the line as they compete for a national title against Florida State at the Omni La Costa Champions Course in Carlsbad, California.
Golf Channel is set to broadcast the match beginning at 5 p.m. CT.
Second team, third team and honorable mention All-American names will be released in the weeks to follow.
