May 29, 2016
EUGENE, Ore. – San Diego State men's golfers Nahum Mendoza III (San Diego, Calif.), Riccardo Michelini (Carpi, Italy) and Ryann Ree (Redondo Beach, Calif.) were each named to the PING All-West Region team as announced Sunday by the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA).
With their awards, the Aztec trio garnered all-region accolades for the first time in their respective careers and gave SDSU multiple all-region honorees for the first time since the 2010-11 campaign.
In addition, the Aztecs' three selections are tied for the most of any squad in the West Region, along with No. 1 Stanford and third-ranked USC, No. 7 Arizona State and 11th-ranked California. Overall, a total of 13 schools were represented in the West, while 156 players were honored across six regions – East, Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Central and West.
The reigning Mountain West Men's Golfer of the Year, Mendoza is currently ranked 26th in the nation according to the latest Golfweek/Sagarin ratings and owns a team-best 71.10 scoring average. The Francis Parker High product also tops the squad with 20 rounds below par, including 12 in the 60s, and has logged seven top-10 placements on the year, including four in the top five.
Not to be outdone, Mendoza, who collected his second straight all-MW honor earlier this season, was also named to the prestigious Arnold Palmer Cup last month and was one of 30 semifinalists for the 2016 Jack Nicklaus Player of the Year award.
In addition, Ree earned a spot on the all-MW team for the second consecutive year after recording eight top-10 finishes during the 2015-16 season, including five in the top-five. The Redondo Beach native owns a 71.25 scoring average in 12 tournaments and is ranked 53rd nationally by Golfweek. Ree has been the Aztecs' top finisher five events this year, including the Albuquerque Regional, where he landed alone in the ninth spot and helped the Scarlet and Black secure a trip to the NCAA Championships with an eagle on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff.
Michelini, meanwhile, became the just the fourth Aztec player to receive all-Mountain West recognition on three occasions last month, joining J.J. Spaun (2010-12), Aaron Goldberg (2006-08) and Mark Warman (2002-04). The conference's freshman of the year in 2013, Michelini currently sports a 71.92 scoring average and is one of two SDSU golfers, along with Ree, to appear in all 12 tournaments this season.
Michelini, who is ranked 98th by Golfweek, has posted six top-10 placements this year, highlighted by a fifth-place showing at the Aztecs' own Barona Collegiate Cup where he shot a 4-under 212 to help the Scarlet and Black capture the team title on March 22.
Under the tutelage of 13th-year head coach Ryan Donovan, No. 22 San Diego State is currently competing in the third round of the 2016 NCAA Championships in Eugene, Ore. The Aztecs have already put together one of its finest seasons in program history with two team titles and eight additional top-five placements en route to their 29th overall appearance in the national championships.
2015-16 PING All-WEST REGION TEAM
Nahum Mendoza III, San Diego State
Riccardo Michelini, San Diego State
Ryann Ree, San Diego State
Shintaro Ban, UNLV
Shotaro Ban, California
David Boote, Stanford
Sean Crocker, USC
Jonathan De Los Reyes, Saint Mary's
Jared du Toit, Arizona State
Jonathan Garrick, UCLA
Rico Hoey, USC
Franklin Huang, Stanford
KK Limbhasut, California
Maverick McNealy, Stanford
Collin Morikawa, California
John Oda, UNLV
Jeremy Paul, Colorado
Corey Pereira, Washington
Jon Rahm, Arizona State
Max Rottluff, Arizona State
Jonah Texeira, USC
Sahith Theegala, Pepperdine
Sean Walsh, Gonzaga
Frederick Wedel, Pepperdine
Aaron Wise, Oregon
Carl Yuan, Washington