Georgia Tech football coach Paul Johnson and golfer Ollie Schniederjans were named finalists Tuesday for separate Atlanta Sports Awards.
Johnson, who led the Yellow Jackets to the ACC Coastal Division championship and their first major-bowl championship since 1956, is a finalist for coach of the year, along with McEachern High girls basketball coach Phyllis Arthur and Kennesaw State baseball coach Mike Sansing. McEachern won its second state title in three years in 2014. Kennesaw State became the first team in 21 years to advance to the super regional in its first NCAA appearance.
Johnson was previously won the prize for leading the Jackets to the 2009 ACC title, which also earned the Jackets the honor of Atlanta team of the year.
Schniederjans is a finalist for college athlete of the year. He finished 2014 as the world’s top-ranked amateur, was a first-team All-American for the 2013-14 season, during which he won five events and was named ACC player of the year.
The other finalists are Georgia State basketball player R.J. Hunter (Sun Belt player of the year, All-American honorable mention) and Kennesaw State baseball player Max Pentecost (All-American, Johnny Bench Award as nation’s top catcher, first-round draft pick).
The annual awards program is run by the Atlanta Sports Council. The winners are recognized at a dinner March 5 at the Fox Theatre.
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