SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- Denver senior Jackson Solem was named The Summit League Men's Golfer of the Year and his coach, Trake Carpenter, collected Coach of the Year honors, league officials announced Thursday. The third individual award went to North Dakota State's Jack Johnson, who claimed the Newcomer of the Year accolade.

Solem led the league in stroke average during his final season as a Pioneer after posting a 71.9 clip over eight tournaments. He turned in a pair of top-five finishes during the campaign, including a runner-up finish at The Summit League Championship in early May, carding a 213 (-3) total over 54 holes in Kansas. Solem's other top-five showing was a tie for third at the Lamkin Grips San Diego Classic where he shot a 214 (-2).

Solem's 64 (-6) in the opening round of The Goodwin was the lowest round of the year by a Summit League golfer. It was one of his league-best five rounds in the 60's this season.

Carpenter led the Pioneers to a league title in his first year as the DU head coach and nearly had his squad earn a NCAA Tournament berth before it fell just short at the Cle Elum Regional. Denver took sixth out of 13 teams at that event, but only the top-five finishers advanced to the national event.

The Pios turned in their top round of the season with a 277 (-11) in the third round of the Ping Cougar Classic, which led to the top team score of the season as well of 853 (-11). They defended their league tournament in 2021 after the 2020 event was cancelled by the pandemic. DU won by eight strokes and boasted three of the top-five finishers. 

Johnson led the Bison and all league freshmen with a 73.9 stroke average during his first collegiate season. He had three rounds in the 60's including a season-best 67 (-3) in the closing round at the Joust at Goose Creek. He finished tied for 10th at that event and also had a top-five finish at the Maverick Invitational at The Creek.

The three individual awards are voted on by the league's nine head coaches. 

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