NORMAN, Okla. – Five Fighting Illini men's golfers were honored as All-America Scholars, matching a program record for the third time in four seasons. The announcement was made Wednesday (Aug. 9) by the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA).
Fifth-year seniors Adrien Dumont de Chassart, Tommy Kuhl, and Matthis Besard were joined on the list by junior Piercen Hunt and sophomore Jackson Buchanan. Dumont de Chassart and Kuhl become the first golfers in program history to earn the distinction four times (2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023). Hunt earned his second consecutive nod, while Besard also earned the second of his collegiate career, but his first at Illinois after previously being recognized following his sophomore season at SIU in 2020. Buchanan's selection is the first of his career.
In all, 20 different Fighting Illini have now earned 38 All-America Scholar awards from the GCAA in program history, with 16 golfers garnering 32 of those nods under the guidance of head coach Mike Small.
Illinois also took home five All-America Scholar citations in both 2020 and 2021, the first two years in which sophomores were eligible for recognition.
For the 2022-23 academic year, 548 Division I athletes from 194 schools were honored. Illinois is one of just 19 Division I programs to produce at least five honorees, and one of only two teams to have also advanced to the 30-team NCAA Championship round at Grayhawk Golf Club this season.
To be eligible for GCAA All-America Scholar status, a Division I student-athlete must have participated in 50 percent of his team's competitive rounds with a stroke-average under 76.0 and a minimum cumulative career grade-point average of 3.2. Honorees must also be of high moral character and in good standing with the university.
