Youngstown State senior golfer Brandon Pluchinsky (North Lima, Ohio) was named the Horizon League Men's Golfer of the Year for 2015-16, the league announced at its pre-championship awards banquet on Thursday evening.
Pluchinsky is the first YSU men's golfer to claim the honor. It was a YSU sweep as senior Emily Dixon was tabbed the HL's Women's Golfer of the Year.
Pluchinsky has had an impressive senior campaign. He is averaging a team and league-best 72.2 strokes per round playing in all 11 tournaments and 30 rounds. He has had six top-10 finishes for the season, including taking medalist honors at the Cleveland State Invitational in the fall. Pluchinsky has been YSU's top finisher in seven of the 11 tournaments as well.
In his three conference tournament appearances, he placed fifth (junior), seventh (sophomore) and 11th (freshman). As a freshman he set a Horizon League record carding a 66 on his final round of the tournament.
Of the 14 previous golfers to be named the league's player of the year, just Cleveland State's Andrew Bailey (2014) and Jake Scott (2009) also claimed medalist honors at the conference meet.
Pluchinsky was named first-team All-Horizon League for the second straight year.