BRASELTON, Ga. – Twenty-four of the nation’s brightest minds and best junior golfers were named to the 2016 Transamerica Scholastic Junior All-America Team, the American Junior Golf Association announced October 3. Created in 1988, the team consists of 12 young men and 12 young women who demonstrate the ability to excel not only on the golf course, but also in the classroom and the community.
“These 24 young men and women deserve all our applause for the hard work and dedication they have shown in pursuing their academic and athletic passions,” said Brian Forbes, director of sponsorships for Transamerica. “In addition to being a game of skill and tradition, golf is a great way to stay healthy, active and connected with friends and loved ones. This is why Transamerica continues to support golf at many levels and is proud to partner with the AJGA and honor Transamerica Scholastic Junior All-Americans.”
To be eligible to apply for the Transamerica Scholastic Junior All-America Team, applicants must be juniors or seniors with boys earning a top-10 finish in an AJGA Open or Invitational and girls needing a top-five finish. After qualifying, selections were then based on the following criteria (in order of importance): standardized test scores, GPA, school leadership/community service and writing skills as showcased in an original essay. In addition to being named a Transamerica Scholastic Junior All-American, Claire Albrecht of Ormond Beach, Florida, submitted the winning essay, “My AJGA Journey.” The AJGA uses an adjusted GPA scale to systematically compare applicants.
The 12 boys on the Transamerica Scholastic Junior All-America Team are:
Jordan Bessalel of Bethesda, Maryland (2017)
Rex Bryant III of Shreveport, Louisiana (2017)
Jonathan Farmer of San Diego, California (2018)
Jack Herceg of Dublin, Ohio (2017)
McClure Meissner of San Antonio, Texas (2017)
Nate Menon of Wyomissing, Pennsylvania (2017)
Charlie Miller of Jackson, Mississippi (2017)
Sam Ohno of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida (2017)
Alex Ross of Atlanta, Georgia (2017)
Sol Thompson of Scarsdale, New York (2017)
Hank Weresh of Clive, Iowa (2017)
Jared Wilson of Columbiana, Ohio (2018)
The 12 girls on the Transamerica Scholastic Junior All-America Team are:
Claire Albrecht of Ormond Beach, Florida (2018)
Anabelle Chang of Walnut, California (2017)
Moon Cheong of Charlotte, North Carolina (2017)
Gabrielle DeSombre of Oak Park, Illinois (2017)
Belinda Hu of San Ramon, California (2017)
Angela Liu of San Jose, California (2018)
Elizabeth Reedy of Marietta, Georgia (2017)
Yoonju Shin of Irvine, California (2018)
Reena Sulkar of Barrington Hills, Illinois (2017)
Elizabeth Wang of San Marino, California (2018)
Stella Woo of Timonium, Maryland (2017)
Kelsey Zeng of Orlando, Florida (2017)
The 2016 Transamerica Scholastic Junior All-America Team has an average adjusted GPA of 4.39, an average SAT score of 2118 and an average ACT score of 33. The 12 girls have combined for 17 top-five finishes, while the 12 boys have earned 17 top-10 finishes.
The Transamerica Scholastic Junior All-America Team will be honored at the Rolex Junior All-America Awards Banquet, Nov. 20 at PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. By being named to the team, each player is also eligible to participate in the Polo Golf Junior Classic, one of the most prestigious events in junior golf, which will take place on PGA National Resort & Spa’s Champion and Fazio Courses, Nov. 19-25.
Former Transamerica Scholastic Junior All-Americans have gone on to successful amateur and professional golf careers, including Casey Martin (1989), Wendy Ward (1990), Kellee Booth (1992), Cristie Kerr (1994), Matt Kuchar (1994), Scott Langley (2005) and Patrick Rodgers (2009, 2010).