Union’s Zimmer named to GCAA Division II Ping All-Region, All-American

NORMAN, Okla. – Union University’s JJ Zimmer has been named to the 2022 NCAA Division II PING All-America Team honorable mentioned by the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA). Zimmer was also named first team All-South Region by GCAA and Ping.

Union head coach Ryan Chandler said, “JJ earning these awards are great accomplishments. It is just another testament to his work ethic day in and day out. I am extremely proud of what he is accomplishing and this is just the beginning. We have a strong, committed group right now, and I think we will continue to see these accomplishments. I am thankful I get the opportunity to lead them.”

Zimmer, a 5-foot-11 freshman from Jackson, Tennessee (Crockett County HS), was among the conference’s best golfers all season. He was named the Gulf South Conference Freshman of the Year and was also a first team All-GSC performer. Zimmer finished the season as the No. 30 ranked golfer in all of NCAA Division II.

He posted the GSC’s lowest round with a 63, while notching an average score of 70.60 this season, third-best among league leaders. Zimmer recorded five top finishes with one win in nine tournament appearances. He posted a first place finish at the Tulsa Cup and a runner-up finish in the Hillcat Classic, both events in Oklahoma. He had seven top-10 finishes this season.

Zimmer was named GSC Freshman Golfer of the Month twice this season and GSC Golfer of the Month once. Zimmer also became the first Union golfer to advance to the NCAA D2 Regional Tournament since re-joining the NCAA in 2012-13. He qualified as an individual this season.

For Union, Zimmer is the second player to be named to the NCAA D2 GCAA/Ping All-America team (Kody Alexander, 2013).

Sturner promoted to interim head coach for Union softball

JACKSON, Tenn. – Union University has named Sydney Sturner as the interim head coach for the softball program for the 2022-23 season.

According to a press release from Steven Aldridge – Assistant Director of Athletics for Sports Communication – Union University, she moved into the new role after serving as the assistant coach at Union last season.

Sturner said, “I am incredibly grateful to step into the interim head coaching role. Thank you to Tommy Sadler and President Dub for this opportunity, and the rest of the athletic department for their continued support through this next season. I am honored to be in this position of impact with such an amazing group of young women and a great incoming freshman class.”

In 2022, Sturner was instrumental in helping Union softball return to the GSC Tournament for the first time since 2019.

Sturner joined Union University as the softball assistant coach in August 2021. Sturner came to Union from Corvallis, Oregon where she was a high school head coach for three seasons.

Sturner was the head varsity softball coach at Crescent Valley High School from 2018-21. She also spent the 2020-21 season as an assistant coach for the 14U Northwest Bullets Fastpitch Organization. She has been giving private pitching lessons since 2013. In addition to her coaching duties at Crescent Valley, Sturner served as Student Behavior Support for three years.

Sturner holds the Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (NTP) certification from the Nutritional Therapy Association.

Sturner is a 2016 graduate of Southern Oregon University with a bachelor of science degree in elementary education. While at Southern Oregon, she completed a successful softball career, being named the Southern Oregon University Softball Player of the Year in 2014. She holds the single-game strikeout record at University Field with 13. In her senior season of 2016, Sturner helped lead Southern Oregon to its first NAIA Region birth in 10 years.

Sturner is a 2012 graduate of Clovis West High School in Clovis, California. She is married to David Sturner and is the daughter of Debbie and David White. She and her husband have a dog, Maui.

(PHOTO: Sydney Sturner and JJ Zimmer – courtesy Steven Aldridge – Assistant Director of Athletics for Sports Communication – Union University)