BYU phenom Kihei Akina earns First Team All-America honors

Kihei Akina continues to stack accolades from his stellar freshman season.

BYU’s freshman golf phenom has been named a First Team All-American by the Golf Coaches Association of America, becoming the 16th such selection in school history.

Akina ranks No. 7 nationally among collegiate golfers, and as the highest-rated freshman, he has earned the Phil Mickelson Outstanding Freshman Award as well.

Of the 10 total First Team All-Americans, Akina was one of three from the Big 12 and the lone freshman.

“I think, in all sports, consistency is a true testament to greatness,” BYU director of golf Todd Miller said in a statement.

“If you look at Kihei’s season from the outside, it’s easy to recognize that he’s one of the top players in the country. What we get to see as coaches is his ability to manage the course and his game when things aren’t going perfectly. That ability usually comes with experience and maturity, especially in golf. That is why it is so unique in our sport for a freshman to be named as a first team (All-American).”

Akina’s 69.05 scoring average is the best mark ever at BYU, and he captured two event crowns at the R.E. Lamkin and Bridgestone Invitationals.

Additionally, Akina was named to the All-Big 12 First Team and took home the conference Freshman of the Year hardware.

Prior to Akina, the only BYU golfer to achieve First Team All-America status as a freshman was Cougars Hall of Famer Bobby Clampett in 1978.