Every week, the Johnson State College Athletics Department spotlights one male and one female student-athlete that have excelled either on the playing surface or in the classroom and community.

This week’s male student-athlete spotlight is sophomore golfer Austin Walters. This week, Walters was named the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Men's Golf Rookie of the Year.

Walters has had a notable rookie campaign for the Badgers. At the 2016 NAC Championship, he recorded a 76 on Day 1 and a 79 on Day 2 for a two-day total of 155, which tied him for 12th. The Grantham, N.H. native was tied with another rookie and had to compete for the Rookie of the Year title in a sudden death play-off starting on the first hole. Walters only needed one hole to claim the honor as he sunk his third shot. Throughout the fall, the rookie competed in four events for Johnson State, including two top-15 performances, as he placed 12th (83) at the Paul Smith's Invitational and tied for 15th (84) at the JSC Invitational. Walters was selected NAC Rookie of the Week once this season.

Johnson State finished sixth at the NAC Championship over the weekend.