April 20, 2000

SEC Commissioner Roy Kramer named five Kentucky golfers to the 2000 SEC Golf Academic Honor Roll on Thursday. For the women, sophomores Towa Okiyama and Kristen Pepe and junior Jenny Throgmorton earned the honors, while sophomores John Beckett and Philip Schardein were named to the men’s honor roll.

Okiyama, a native of Tamuning, Guam, has earned a 3.587 grade point average in her three semesters at Kentucky. The art studio major has competed in seven tournaments this year, leading the Lady Kats at two tournaments. She posted her best finish at the Kiawah Island/Oak Point Invitational last November, shooting a three-round total of 225.

Throgmorton, the lone junior on the team, is majoring in management and has accumulated a 3.45 gpa during her time at Kentucky. The Paducah, Ky. native has played in eight tournaments, with her best finish coming at the Lady Seminole Invitational in September 1999. Throgmorton shot a three-round total of 232 and placed 17th.

Pepe has a 3.029 gpa and has not declared a major. She finished 13th at the Lady Seminole Invitational, her best finish this season, shooting a 228 in three rounds. The McKeesport, Pa. native has competed in six tournaments this season.

Beckett, an Asheville, N.C. native, is one of two golfers who have competed in all of the men’s ten tournaments this year. He is majoring in marketing and has earned a 3.13 gpa at Kentucky. Beckett shot a 3-under-par 69 in the second round of the Silver Spring Shores Invitational in March.

Bowling Green, Ky. native Schardein is majoring in finance. He has earned a 3.67 gpa at Kentucky. He has competed in four tournaments with his best finish coming at the Hawkeye Invitational where he finished 22nd after shooting a three-round total of 223.

To be eligible for the honor roll, a student-athlete must have a 3.0 gpa for either the past year or cumulative, be sophomore or higher and have at least 24 semester hours.