The mechanical engineering major from Colombia is the first Mocs women's golfer to achieve this status

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women's golfer Maria Juliana Loza (Bucaramanga, Colombia) is one of just over 500 collegiate golfers in the nation (all three NCAA Divisions) to earn NGCA (National Golf Coaches Association) All-American Scholar honors for 2009-10.  Loza is the first Mocs women's golfer to achieve the award.

The criteria for selection requires a minimum grade point average of 3.50 and the student-athletes must compete in at least 50 percent of the team contests for the season.  Loza easily bested both as a team leader on the course while her 4.0 for 2009-10 added to her sterling academic record (3.94 overall GPA).

"Maju (pronounced mah-who) is certainly deserving of this honor," said head coach Colette Murray.  "She is a shining example of what it means to be a student-athlete.  She was vital to our winning the SoCon and she is an excellent student."

The Dean's List student also earned All-Southern Conference on the course in helping lead Chattanooga to its first league title in just the third year of the program.  UTC competed in its second NCAA Regional as a team.

The program had a great year off the course as well as on it.  In addition to the SoCon crown, the Mocs accumulated a 3.28 cumulative GPA in 2009-10 with a 3.57 during the Spring competitive season.  Four of the five team members - Loza, Emma de Groot, Katie Taylor and Christine Wolf - earned Dean's List honors with all four tallying a 3.20 GPA or higher. 

Chattanooga opens its season on Sept. 6 at the Labor Day Shootout in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.  It is a one-day, 36-hole event played on the famed TPC at Sawgrass Stadium Course.

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