Pacer Golf All-Decade Team Announced

AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken athletic department and head coach Michael Carlisle unveiled the 2000-10 Golf All-Decade team on Monday, July 11, 2011.

The 2000-10 USC Aiken Golf All-Decade team features seven student-athletes with five starters and two honorable mention selections.

"We have had a lot of great players during the past 10 years,” noted Carlisle. “We could have had a very long list for the Golf All-Decade Team. These players are the best of the best and they performed in the classroom as well as on the golf course."

A three-time All-America selection, Scott Brown (2002-06) was a part of all three of USC Aiken’s national championships (2004, 2005 and 2006) during the decade.

A two-time Peach Belt Conference Player of the Year, Brown is currently second all-time in career scoring in Pacer history with a 73.06 scoring average in 113 rounds played. Brown owns two of the top five single season scoring averages in school history, including a school and Peach Belt Conference record 71.68 stroke average during his senior season in the 2005-06 season.

Brown was given the Jack Nicklaus Award as the top golfer in NCAA Division II in 2006. He ended his career with nine wins as an individual, which is a Peach Belt Conference record.

The Peach Belt Conference Co-Player of the Year in 2005, Dane Burkhart (2002-06) was also a part of all three of USC Aiken’s national championships. He is third all-time in career scoring with a stroke average of 73.31 in 130 rounds played. Burkhart owns the second-best single season scoring average in school history with his 71.74 stroke average in the 2004-05 season.

Burkhart won individual medalist honors during USC Aiken’s 2005 national championship. He also claimed the Jack Nicklaus award as the top player in NCAA Division II in 2005. Burkhart, who won six times as an individual in his career, was a three-time All-America selection.

The 2006 Peach Belt Conference Freshman of the Year, Roberto Diaz (2005-09) was a member of USC Aiken’s 2006 national championship team as a freshman. He was named All-American four times in his Pacer career.

Diaz is the all-time career scoring leader in USC Aiken history with a 72.97 average in 130 rounds played. His best single year came in the 2008-09 season when he posted a 71.90 scoring average as a senior. He also posted a school record-tying low round of 64 during the season.

Aaron Black (2001-03) was a two-time All-America selection for the Pacers. He finished his career with the fourth-best career scoring average in school history at 73.34 in 62 rounds played.

Black’s best single season scoring average came in 2001-02 season when he posted a 73.16 stroke average in 32 rounds played.

Scott Usher (1999-2003) was a two-time All-America selection for the Pacers. He finished his career in the top 15 in school history in scoring average with a 74.58 stroke average in 116 rounds played.

Usher’s best season was during his senior year in the 2002-03 season when he posted a 73.06 scoring average in 33 rounds played.

Matt Avinger (1998-2002) was a three-time NCAA Division II All-America selection for USC Aiken. He finished his career in the top 15 in scoring average in school history with a 74.44 stroke average in 98 rounds played.

Jeff Goff (2006-08) concluded the 2008 season as a first team All-America selection. He claimed individual medalist honors at the NCAA Division II National Championship that same season. Goff finished his career in the top 10 in school history in career scoring with a 73.78 stroke average in 74 rounds played.

The head coaches of each of USC Aiken's teams selected the 2000-10 USC Aiken Athletic Department All-Decade teams.

Over the course of the coming weeks, an All-Decade team will be released each week by the USC Aiken athletic department.

Please visit USC Aiken's official athletic website at www.PacerSports.com the remainder of the summer to see the All-Decade teams. 

Golf All-Decade Team

Scott Brown

Dane Burkhart

Roberto Diaz

Aaron Black

Scott Usher

Honorable Mention

Matt Avinger

Jeff Goff