(PRINCETON, W.Va.)---West Liberty State individuals have claimed the top awards for the 2007-08 WVIAC men's golf season.  Star senior Matt Hicks is the league's Player of the Year, while Roger Waialae has been honored by his peers as the conference's Coach of the Year.

The WVIAC Player of the Year is determined by average score in the league's four mandatory events.  Hicks, a Sissonville native, posted an average of 70.86 in those tournaments to claim conference Player of the Year honors for the second time in his career. 

The senior recorded wins at the WVIAC Championship and WVIAC Southern Regional events.  He also placed second at the WVIAC Northern Regional and tenth at the WVIAC Central Regional.  Hicks is currently ranked 16th nationally among all NCAA Division II golfers in the Golfstat Cup standings.

Waialae has built the West Liberty State men's golf program into a consistent conference and regional contender.  The third rated Toppers are the highest ranked WVIAC squad in the current East Regional rankings.  Waialae, who also serves as the head football coach at WLSC, previously earned WVIAC Men's Golf Coach of the Year honors in 2002.

The league's seven player All-WVIAC first team features only repeat performer from last season in Fairmont State's Justin Caroli.  The Falcons, which won the league's championship event earlier this season, were also represented on the first team by Zach Rudy and Will Gautreau.

West Liberty State honorees on the first team were Hicks and Scott Smith.  Charleston's Stephen Maynard and Ohio Valley's Paul Raines complete the All-WVIAC first team.

The complete 2007-08 All-WVIAC men's golf team follows: 

2007-08 All-WVIAC Golf
1st Team:
Justin Caroli (Fairmont State, Sr., Bridgeport, WV)
Matt Hicks (West Liberty State, Sr., Sissonville, WV
Will Gautreau (Fairmont State, Sr., Niagara, ONT)
Stephen Maynard (Charleston, Sr., Waterbury Center, VT)
Paul Raines (Ohio Valley, Soph., London, ENG)
Zach Rudy (Fairmont State, Jr., Fairmont, WV)
Scott Smith (West Liberty State, Sr., Morgantown, WV

2nd Team:
Josh Arbaugh (West Virginia Wesleyan, Jr., Canvas, WV)
Kenneth Hess (Concord, Soph., Parkersburg, WV)
Korey Pettit (Charleston, Sr., Toronto, ONT)
Graeme Robertson (Davis & Elkins, Fr., Stirling, Scotland)
Ryan Terdik (Concord, Fr., Mount Pleasant, ONT)
Robbie Untinen (Concord, Fr., Thunder Bay, ONT)