CHARLOTTE, N.C.- Gardner-Webb men's golfer Matt Yelverton was honored this afternoon by the Big South Conference garnering the George A. Christenberry Award for Academic Excellence.

The award is given to the male and female student-athlete's who attain the highest GPA during their college careers.  The honor is named for George A. Christenberry, the former President of Augusta College (now Georgia Regents University-Augusta) and one of the founders of the Big South Conference.  A member of the Big South Hall of Fame, Christenberry served as the League's first President from 1983-86. 

Yelverton who is a Biology major has maintained a 4.00 cumulative GPA over his four years at Gardner-Webb proving to be a major factor in the classroom as well as on the golf course.  

Yelverton (Weddington, N.C.) was voted the 2015 Big South Men's Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year.  He concluded his senior season with a career-best 73.65 stroke average, which currently ranks 15th in the Big South this season. 

Head Coach Tee Burton had this to say about Yerlverton, "Matt is everything a coach could want in a player. He is a hard worker in all aspects of life. It's been a blessing to have coached and had him apart of this program over these past four years." 

A three-time Big South Men's Golf All-Academic Team honoree and Big South Presidential Honor Roll member, Yelverton carded his best 54-hole score in the Big South Championship earlier this month with an even-par 216 (70-74-72) to finish 14th in the field. 

A 2014 GCAA/Cleveland Golf All-American Scholar, Yelverton competed in all 122 of Gardner-Webb's rounds during his four years in Boiling Springs and ended his career with a 74.32 scoring average with seven top Top 10 finishes -- including co-Medalist honors at the Raines Development Intercollegiate during his sophomore season.  Yelverton carded a career-low 67 during his win and had 11 career rounds in the 60s.  He finished with a 74.50 stroke average in his four Big South Championship appearances with one Top 10 standing.

Yelverton will be honored alongside fellow Runnin' Bulldogs Heather Feldman, volleyball, and women's swimmer Charity Byrum, as well as four other student-athelete's, at the Marriot Resort in Hilton Head, S.C. on May 28 as apart of Conference's Sprint Meetings and Hall of Fame Dinner.