NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt’s Matthew Riedel has been named a finalist for the Byron Nelson Award, the Golf Coaches Association of America, in cooperation with the Salesmanship Club of Dallas, announced Thursday.
Riedel joins Anton Albers (Little Rock), Beck Burnette (Lee), Palmer Jackson (Notre Dame) and David Nyfjäll (Northwestern) finalists for the 2023 Byron Nelson Award. The winner will be announced May 10 at the AT&T Byron Nelson Luncheon at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas.
Riedel, majoring in economics with a minor in business, is a three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll student from Houston, Texas, and has been a leader in his community over the last four years. He has raised money, bought gifts and organized a field day during gym class for first graders at Jones Paideia Elementary School in Nashville, collected and bagged groceries for underprivileged residents in West Nashville and served food and cleaned dishes at the Ronald McDonald Community Food Kitchen in Nashville.
Riedel is undefeated in match play and has recorded five top-10 and four top-five finishes so far this season, including earning medalist honors at the 2022 SEC Match Play presented by Jerry Pate with a 54-hole total of 197 (-13). He carded six top-20 results en route to receiving PING All-Southeast Region honors in 2021.
The purpose of the Byron Nelson Award is to select annually the outstanding Division I, II, III or NAIA scholar-athlete of the year. The recipient, a graduating senior, is recognized for his achievement in the classroom, on the course and in his community.
