THREE RAMS NAMED ALL-AMERICAN
May 21, 2008

FORT WORTH, TX:  The NAIA announced its 2008 Men’s Golf All-American team today, and three members of the Texas Wesleyan University squad were among those honored.

Senior Mitch Hendon (Burleson, TX) became the first Ram since 2005 to be named 1st-team All-American.  Hendon followed a 2nd-team All-American season in 2007 with an outstanding 2008.  He turned in eight top-ten finishes in twelve events, while posting a team leading 73.39 scoring average.  He also posted five top five’s including wins at the Charels Coody Invitational and The Territory Classic and a second place finish at the Rattler Invitational.  In last week’s NAIA National Championship Hendon tied for 17th overall.  Hendon also turned the rare trick of being named All-American and Academic All-American in the same season for the second time in his career.

Armando Villarreal (Los Mochis, Mexico) was a 2nd-team selection, becoming the first Texas Wesleyan freshman to be named All-American since David West in 1997.  Villarreal was the Red River Athletic Conference medalist this season.  He posted four top-ten’s and three top-five finishes including a third place finish at the Rattler Invitational, and finished the year with a 75.04 scoring average.

Junior Paco Saracho (Guadalajara, Mexico) was named to the 3rd-team.  He finished the year with a 74.84 scoring average while posting four top-five finishes.  Saracho had a tremendous start to the season.  He won the Fort Worth City Open in the preseason, and then took second place in his first two events, the Charles Coody Invitational and The Territory Classic.

Texas Wesleyan had a tremendous season in 2008.  The Rams won three tournaments, while garnering nine top-five and ten top-ten finishes.  The Rams finished 10th in the 57th NAIA National Championship, marking the program’s 44th top-ten finish in that event.