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OKLAHOMA CITY - Clark Collier of Oklahoma City University has been chosen for the 2012 all-Nicklaus team, which recognizes the top 24 collegiate golfers from every level across the nation picked by the Golf Coaches Association.
Collier, a senior from Edmond, Okla., led the Stars to the 2012 NAIA men's golf championship on May 25 in Salem, Ore., overcoming a four-stroke deficit entering the final round.
A Casady School graduate, Collier posted a 72.77 stroke average for the Stars. Collier finished 11th to earn all-tournament honors in the NAIA Championships on May 22-25 at Creekside Golf Club. Collier turned in three top-five finishes this season, capturing the individual title in the Sooner Athletic Conference Championships on April 23-24 in Lubbock, Texas by five strokes. He nabbed all-region and first-team all-American honors.
Collier compiled 73.34 shots per 18 holes in 123.5 rounds with four victories as a Star. Collier joined Anthony Michael and Colin Nel as OCU's only four-time men's golf all-Americans. He also earned three all-SAC and all-region nods while helping the Stars win two national titles and three league crowns. Collier is currently playing in the Nationwide Tour Wichita Open in Wichita, Kan.
NCAA Division I individual runner-up Julien Brun of Texas Christian, NCAA Division II individual champion Josh Creel of Central Oklahoma, NCAA Division III medalist Anthony Maccaglia of Oglethorpe (Ga.), NAIA runner-up Nathan Anderson of Texas Wesleyan and NJCAA Division I champ Jake Stirling of Meridian (Miss.) joined Collier on the all-Nicklaus team.
Michael in 2009 and Julian Valenciana in 2010 were OCU's previous all-Nicklaus selections.
The all-Nicklaus team was created in 2008 and is not only named for history's greatest player but also a long-time supporter of collegiate and amateur golf. Jack Nicklaus, a Big Ten and NCAA champion at Ohio State, helped inspire and create the Jack Nicklaus Award in 1988. The Nicklaus Award is annually given to the top collegiate men's golfer in NCAA Division I, II, III and the NAIA.
The Stars have now captured NAIA men's golf championships in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2010 and 2012. OCU's eight men's golf titles are the most by one school in the NAIA.
2012 All-Nicklaus Team
Nathan Anderson, Texas Wesleyan
Jake Argento, South Mountain CC
Blayne Barber, Auburn
Trevor Blair, CSU-Stanislaus
Julien Brun, TCU
Clark Collier, Oklahoma City
Josh Creel, Central Oklahoma
Dylan Frittelli, Texas
Stephan Jaeger, Chattanooga
Jimmy Kozikowski, South Mountain CC
Anthony Maccaglia, Oglethorpe
Noah Ratner, Guilford
Patrick Rodgers, Stanford
Carlos Rodriguez, West Florida
Joe Sakulpolphaisan, Darton College
Kyle Souza, Chico State
Jordan Spieth, Texas
Jake Stirling, Meridian CC
Ben Taylor, Nova Southeastern
Justin Thomas, Alabama
Aaron Watkins, Cumberlands
Chris Williams, Washington
Eugene Wong, Oregon
Derek Zachman, La Verne
