ROCK HILL, S.C. --- Tusculum College rookie Emee Herbert has been named the 2012 South Atlantic Conference Women's Golf Freshman of the Year, while TC skipper Bob Dibble was tabbed the SAC Coach of the Year announced league officials Friday. Herbert and junior teammate Jillian Corum have also been named to the All-SAC First Team.

Herbert, a native of Johns Creek, Ga., becomes the second Tusculum player in school history to garner SAC Freshman of the Year honors, joining Amanda Bowen, who earned the award during the 2003-04 season. Herbert owns the second-best scoring average in the conference at 77.11, which is on pace to be a new TC single-season record, while also shattering the freshman school mark.

Herbert has finished in the top 20 in eight of TC's nine events this year, including six top 10 finishes and three top-five performances. She finished runner-up in her inaugural collegiate event at the Anderson Invitational this past September. The Greater Atlanta Christian School graduate also tied for third at the Flagler Fall Slam and finished sixth at the Patsy Rendleman Invitational. She finished the regular season with back-to-back seventh place performances at the Hargett Memorial and the Agnes McAmis Memorial, where she posted a season-low 72-77=149, the fifth lowest 36-hole score in school history.

Corum, a Knoxville, Tenn. native, is second on the team and third in the league with her 77.61 stroke average. That average is also the second lowest in TC single-season history. Corum earns All-Conference honors for the first time in her Tusculum career. The Fulton High School graduate has accounted for seven top 20 performances, including five in the top 10. Corum posted a three-under par 70-71=141 to capture medalist honors at the McAmis Memorial at Link Hills Country Club, earning her fourth career victory. Her 141 was also new 36-hole record at Tusculum,

Corum is averaging 4.92 strokes on par 5 holes this season, which is the lowest average in the country. She is also 10th in nation in subpar strokes per round (2.19) and 18th in birdies (33). Her career 80.47 stroke average is currently the lowest in Pioneer history.

Coach Dibble is wrapping up his 23rd campaign at the helm of the Tusculum golf program, including every season of the 15-year history of the women's program he started in 1997-98. Dibble earns SAC Golf Coach of the Year honors for a fifth time in his career and second with the women's team. He was the first SAC Women's Golf of the Year in the history of the league during the 1999-2000 campaign.

Dibble has led the 23rd-ranked Pioneers to two team tournament titles, while Tusculum has finished in the top of five in eight of its nine tournaments this year. TC won the Anderson Invitational and followed by winning the McAmis Memorial. In the McAmis, Tusculum won by shooting a school, tournament and SAC record 593, including a TC, tournament and league record 291 in the opening round.

As a team, Tusculum is fourth in the nation in subpar strokes per round (1.63), seventh in par 5 scoring (5.26), nine in birdies (128), 19th in team scoring average (79.74), 19th in par 4 scoring (4.51) and 20th in score versus par (+7.74).

The Pioneers return to action this Monday and Tuesday (April 16-17) as they compete at the Food Lion SAC Championship in Conover, N.C. Tusculum will be vying for its third SAC Championship in school history. TC won the league title in back-to-back seasons in 1999-2000 and 2000-2001.

- SAC -

2012 All-South Atlantic Conference Women's Golf Team
First Team
Maria Luz Besio, Newberry
Jillian Corum, Tusculum
Emee Herbert, Tusculum
Brittany McCown, Lincoln Memorial
Katie Thackerson, Lenoir-Rhyne

Second Team
Lisa Brandl, Newberry
Lucia Careaga, Wingate
Barbara Castro, Newberry
Jennifer Oliver, Carson-Newman
Erica Ray, Carson-Newman

SAC Player of the Year: Maria Luz Besio, Newberry
SAC Freshman of the Year: Emee Herbert, Tusculum
SAC Women's Golf Coach of the Year: Bob Dibble, Tusculum