Three Cougars named WCC All-Academic Honorable Mention

SAN MATEO, Calif. — BYU men’s golfers David Timmins, Cole Ponich and Keanu Akina were named WCC All-Academic Honorable Mention on Thursday.

“As student athletes, these guys spend a lot of time on the golf course at practice and traveling around the country representing BYU at tournaments, which makes what Keanu, Cole and David have done in the classroom all the more impressive,” said head coach Bruce Brockbank. “They are three great young men that get it done in the classroom and on the course. It’s nice to see the WCC recognize their efforts.”

Timmins and Ponich were each honored for the second straight-year as WCC All-Academic Honorable Mention, while Akina received his first honor. 

Timmins boasts a 3.44 GPA in the communications studies program while helping the Cougars return to the NCAA Championship for the third time in four seasons. Along with excelling in the classroom, the Sandy, Utah product grabbed four top-15 finishes, three top-10s and two top-5s this season.

“As a coach you hope every player that comes through your program develops new skills and makes improvements in their game," said Brockbank. "David is one of those guys who is looking to learn and take every opportunity to get better.”

Ponich is a psychology major and carries a 3.40 GPA. The soon-to-be senior from Farmington, Utah played in 13 events for the Cougars during the 2021-22 campaign and was instrumental in their trip to the NCAA Championship. Ponich grabbed four top-25 finishes, two top-10s and finished fourth at the WCC Championship.

“As a coach it feels good to have guys like Cole in the lineup who bring a wealth of experience to the table,” said director of golf Todd Miller. “He is the most highly recruited player we have on this team and his resume is packed with big tournaments. He knows how to play tough courses and thrives under the pressure of big events.”

Akina holds a 3.30 GPA in the Marriott School of Business entrepreneurial management program. The Kahuku native walked on during the 2020-21 season and has been a consistent contributor for the Cougars.

“Keanu was the biggest factor in our convincing win in New Mexico to start the season,” said Miller. “He has the ability to shoot a course record on any type of course and his 64 at the UNM South Course was one of the best collegiate rounds ever by a BYU player.”