BIRMINGHAM, Ala.- Drew Zielinski was named the Gulf South Conference Golfer of the Year and Tucker Wick was named the GSC Freshman of the Year as announced by the league on Wednesday. The Lee University men's golf team also had five players on the All-GSC teams. Zielinksi and Bennett McNabb were named to the First Team All-GSC while Wick, George Cordall, and Billy Boroughs were on the Second Team.
Coach Evan Spence is proud of what his squad as accomplished so far this year. "I'm so proud of these guys for earning these honors and representing us so well this season!"
Zielinski is the first Lee golfer to win the GSC Medalist at the GSC Championship. He is also the third golfer for the Flames to be named the GSC Golfer of the Year. Beck Burnette was the golfer of the year in 2022 and 2023 and Oliver Lewis-Perkins earned it in 2024. Zielinski played in 20 rounds during the regular season. He had a stroke average of 71.05. He won the Golfweek Fripp Island tournament which allowed him to be the first NCAA DII golfer ever to qualify for a PGA Tour event through a DII collegiate tournament. He competed at the 2025 Butterfield Bermuda Championship.
Coach Spence is excited for what Zielinski has accomplished already this year. "Drew, he's just been so solid this year. The most impressive thing about Drew's game is that he has continually showed up with his best when the lights have been shining the brightest. He started this with his runner up finish at the National Championship last May and has carried that into this season. In the fall this year, when we were playing against one of the strongest fields of the year for a spot in a PGA Tour event, he came out and set a new course record in the first round and went on to win the championship by birdieing the final three holes of the tournament to seal it. Coming down the stretch at the GSC Championship last week two shots back with three holes to play, he once again birdied the last three holes to become the first ever individual GSC Champion in school history. I can't wait to see what else he is going to accomplish this postseason."
Wick is the second Flames golfer to earn the GSC freshman of the year award. Lewis-Perkins earned it in 2021. Wick played in 18 rounds this year with a stroke average of 72.11. He was the solo runner up at the Cleveland State Invitational this season. He was a five-time GSC Freshman of the Week award winner this season. He finished top 20 in five of six regular season events played; four of these were top ten finishes. "Tucker has been such a spark for us this year, said Coach Spence. "As a freshman, it's been really special to see the kind of confidence and swagger that he carries out on the course. He has the kind of competitive edge that you can't really coach into someone and all the self-belief in the world. We're lucky to have him as a part of our team and he is wholly deserving of this honor!"
McNabb was named to the GSC First Team for the second straight year. He was on the GSC all-tournament team as well this season. He played in 23 rounds and had a stroke average of 71.26. He was the solo runner up at the Golfweek Fripp Island tournament. He finished at par or better in every event other than one this season which was shortened to 36 holes due to inclement weather. He finished top 20 in seven of eight regular season events; four of these were top ten finishes.
Cordall was on the Second Team All-GSC for the second straight year. He played in 23 rounds with a scoring average of 71.86. He finished at par or better in six of eight regular season events. He also Finished top 20 in five of eight regular season events; three of these were top ten finishes.
Boroughs was a GSC All-Tournament team member as well. He earned one GSC Freshman of the Week award this season. He played in 11 rounds in the regular season and had a stroke average of 72.36.
"I'm also proud of the recognition that Bennett, George, and Billy are receiving in this year's edition of the GSC awards," noted Coach Spence. "Bennett has been a true model of consistency this year and is going to be an absolute force for us throughout our upcoming postseason run. George has such a high ceiling and has also really steadied the ship for us at times this season when the rest of the guys weren't clicking with their best stuff. After a disappointing fall to start his freshman campaign, Billy really dug in over Christmas break and came back so strong to start the spring in qualifying and has really just carried that all the way through the rest of the spring. He's someone who can pop for some seriously good rounds and I expect him to come up big for us over the next month as well."
2026 GSC Men's Golf Yearly Awards
Player of the Year: Drew Zielinski, Lee
Freshman of the Year: Tucker Wick, Lee
Coach of the Year: Steve Fell, West Florida
First Team
Drew Zielinski, Lee^
Bennett McNabb, Lee
Cooper Tendick, West Florida*%‡
Per Ekelund, West Florida*#
TJ Thompson, West Florida*
Ty Werynski, Delta State
Second Team
Tucker Wick, Lee
George Cordall, Lee
Max Page, West Florida
Alexander Nilehn, Valdosta State^
Trace Robinson, Union
Billy Boroughs, Lee
* First Team All-GSC in 2025
^ Second Team All-GSC in 2025
# First Team All-GSC in 2024
% Second Team All-GSC in 2024
‡ Second Team All-GSC in 2023
