Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Virginia Tech's Daniel Azallion and Connor Burgess have been named to the 2021-22 VaSID (Virginia Sports Information Directors) Men's Golf University Division All-State teams, as announced by the organization Friday afternoon. Azallion was awarded first team distinction, while Burgess was selected to the second team.
Recording a 71.53 scoring average, which was second-best on the team, Azallion registered five top-20 performances on the season. He charted 18 par-or-better rounds as a junior.
Burgess, who earned a selection to the NCAA Columbus Regional, was third on the team in scoring average with a 71.58. He tallied a team-best six top-20 finishes and registered 22 par-or-better rounds. The Lynchburg, Virginia native concluded six events in red figures - five of them coming in the first five events of the season. Burgess tied the program's single-round scoring record (64) at the Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate where he tied for ninth at 8-under 208.
Kieran Vincent took home the VaSID Player of the Year for the second year in a row after finishing his final season at Liberty with a 71.36 stroke average. He also paced the team with five top-10 finishes, including a trio of top-five performances. The native of Harare, Zimbabwe also led the Flames at the NCAA Men's Golf National Championship, finishing the event tied for 55th place. Vincent played 23-of-36 rounds at par or better (63.9 percent) and posted six sub-70 rounds.
Vincent, who is the younger brother of Tech alum Scott Vincent, finished his career at Liberty as the program's all-time leader in career stroke average (71.71). He also leaves the program as its all-time career leader in rounds played (159), career birdies (531), career rounds at par or better (85) and career counting scores rounds (140 – 140-of-159/88.1 percent).
Deven Patel, the VaSID Rookie of the Year, broke in the Cavaliers' starting lineup during the spring season, finishing his first year in Charlottesville with a 72.25 stroke average during eight events. He had a pair of top-10 finishes and posted four sub-70 rounds of golf. The native of Johns Creek, Ga., helped Virginia to a sixth-place showing at the NCAA Yale Regional and led the Cavaliers at two events during the spring season.
Jeff Thomas, the VaSID Coach of the Year, guided Liberty back to the NCAA Men's Golf Naitonal Championship for the third season in a row where the Flames finished in 26th place. Liberty was the highest ranked team in the Commonwealth in the final Golfstat national rankings at No. 35. The Flames posted top-five finishes in 9-out-of-13 events during the 2021-22 season.
2021-22 VaSID Men's Golf University Division
Player of the Year: Kieran Vincent, Liberty
Rookie of the Year: Deven Patel, Virginia
Coach of the Year: Jeff Thomas, Liberty
First Team
Kieran Vincent, Liberty
Pietro Bovari, Virginia
Daniel Azallion, Virginia Tech
Bryce Corbett, Radford
Kristian Tannum Donaldson, VCU
Second Team
George Duangmanee, Virginia
Will Halamandaris, George Mason
Connor Burgess, Virginia Tech
Jonathan Yaun, Liberty
Adrian Vagberg, VCU