March 21, 2006

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana golfer Shannon Johnson has the awards rolling in after a record-breaking performance at the UNLV Spring Invitational on March 13-15. Johnson has been tabbed Golfweek's National Women's Golfer of the Week, while also earning the Big Ten Women's Golfer of the Week.

Johnson becomes the first Hoosier to claim the league's weekly honor since former Hoosier Danah Ford garnered the award during the week of April 20, 2004. It also marks her first conference golfer of the week award during her standout career.

"Shannon is very deserving of these honors," Indiana head coach Clint Wallman. "She worked hard throughout the course of the tournament to give herself an opportunity to win and capitalized on that opportunity."

The Sioux Falls, S.D., native earns her first Big Ten Golfer of the Week honor after blistering the Boulder Creek Golf Course with her school record of five-under par 211 (68-75-68) at the UNLV Spring Invitational last week. The Hoosier senior transfer blew past the field by recording birdies on three of her last five holes to finish four strokes ahead of second-place Alejandra Shaw of Campbell (215).

In the process, she topped the former three-round school record of 212, set by former All-American Karen Dennison in 2002 and became the first IU golfer in school lore to record two separate rounds of 68 in the same tournament. Additionally, Johnson became the second Hoosier in school history to record rounds of 69 or below twice in her career (Dennison). The victory was Johnson's second of the 2005-06 campaign. She also captured medalist honors at the Notre Dame Invitational on Sept. 11.

Johnson and the Hoosiers will next be in action on April 14-15 at the Illini Spring Invitational. Later in the month, Indiana will play host for the 2006 Big Ten Championships on the IU Golf Course on April 28-30.