FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU Department of Athletics has announced its monthly academic honorees for March. Women's golf junior Ailsa Clark and men's golf freshman Tate Heintzelman were named Scholar-Athletes of the Month.

A female and male Eagle are chosen as the FGCU Athletics Scholar-Athlete of the Month throughout the academic year. Factors in the selection for this honor is based on a combination of significant athletic and overall academic success.

Clark (Navarre, FL/Navarre HS) carries a 3.80 GPA while pursuing an exercise science degree. She is a three-time Dean's List honoree and was named to President's List in fall 2017. The Navarre native is also the Vice President of the Exercise Science Student Association.

On the course, Clark captured her first collegiate championship in record fashion on March 12. She shot an opening round 67 and finished with a 54-hole total of 206 - both of which broke the program's previous records. In doing so, she was named the ASUN Women's Golfer of the Week. The Eagles own three weekly honors this season, as Laura Edmonds (Buenos Aires, Argentina/Cypress Bay HS) has picked up the laurel twice.

Through nine non-match play rounds this year, Clark is averaging 74.44 strokes per 18 holes, which is nearly four strokes better than her previous career-high (78.36). She also won all three head-to-head meetings at the Mid-American Match Play Challenge on Feb. 4-5.

"Ailsa has been such a wonderful part of our program over the last three years," women's golf coach Sarah Trew said. "She works very hard at everything she does and cares deeply for her teammates. It has been so fun to see her gain success over the spring as she has been working tirelessly at her game. As a coach, it is always nice to see players get rewarded for their hard work. I know she will continue to impact our program in the future and be a role model for the younger players."

Heintzelman (Granger, IN/Saint Joseph HS) boasts a 3.67 GPA and majors in interdisciplinary entrepreneurship studies. This past fall semester he landed a spot on the Dean's List and Athletic Director's Honor Roll.

The Indiana native has competed in six tournaments so far during his inaugural campaign with the Green and Blue. He has recorded a stroke average of 74.0 and posted a season-best finish of T-5 at the Colin Montgomerie Invitational. He also owns four top-25 finishes.

"Congratulations to Tate. He's one of our hardest workers on the golf course and in the classroom," men's golf coach Eric Booker said. "This is a well-deserved honor and we are very proud of him."

2018-19 Scholar-Athletes of the Month
August – Holly Fritz (Soccer) Kareem Riley (Soccer)
September – Carley Lutzow (Cross Country) Felipe Escobar (Tennis)
October – Maggie Rick (Volleyball) Kohl Gilmore (Baseball)
November – Cortney VanLiew (Volleyball) and Marc Coffers (Baseball)
December – Chandler Ryan (Women's Basketball) and Caleb Catto (Men's Basketball)
January – Christina Kaas Elmgreen (Swimming & Diving) and O'Vonte Mullings (Men's Soccer)
February – Riley Randolph (Softball) and Mateo Ruiz (Men's Tennis)
March – Ailsa Clark (Women's golf) and Tate Heintzelman (Men's golf)

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ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 75 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 11+ seasons at the Division-I level. Additionally, in just seven+ seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 35 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Seven FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport – including both men's and women's soccer again in 2018. In 2016-17, the Green and Blue posted a department-best 6th-place finish in the DI-AAA Learfield Directors' Cup and top-100 showing nationally, ahead of several Power-5 and FBS institutions. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.35 GPA in the classroom in spring 2018 and had an ASUN Conference and State of Florida best five teams earn the NCAA's Public Recognition Award for their Academic Progress Rate in their sport.  The Eagles also served an all-time high 7,200 volunteer hours – being recognized as one of two runner-ups for the inaugural NACDA Community Service Award presented by the Fiesta Bowl.