Jonathan Yaun of the Liberty men’s golf program has been named the 2023 Rock Royer/Mac Rivera Award winner.

Yaun is the third Liberty men’s golfer to win the Rock Royer/Mac Rivera Award in program history and the second to win in the last three years.

Liberty Athletics Hall of Fame Todd Setsma was the award winner in 1995, while Yaun’s former teammate Kieran Vincent took home the honor in 2021.

In 1974, the Rock Royer/Mac Rivera Award was established to honor the top senior student-athlete at Liberty University who best exemplifies the standards and lives of both of these great Christian men.

Rock Royer was Liberty’s first football coach in 1973. Mac Rivera was a member of Liberty’s men’s basketball team from 1972 until 1975. Both Rock Royer and Mac Rivera tragically died at a young age, with Royer dying in a plane crash and Rivera passing away after a fall.

This award encompasses more than just athletic ability. It recognizes the Liberty University graduating senior student-athlete who has maintained an exemplary testimony on the playing field, in the classroom and among the student body.

“Jonathan chose Liberty for all the right reasons and loves the Lord,” commented Liberty head men’s golf coach Jeff Thomas. “During his time at Liberty, Jonathan has had success on the course, but more importantly lives every day a committed Christian Life and is not ashamed of the gospel.”

“Jonathan continually lifts up not only his teammates, but his playing partners, competitors and strangers,” continued Thomas. “It is not uncommon to see him praying and encouraging strangers. The golf program at Liberty has been important to him during his career, but more importantly, he truly loves Liberty and believes in the school’s mission.”

Yaun recently wrapped up a stellar five-year career for the Flames, posting the second-best career scoring average in school history (71.92). He won three individual career event titles, including two during his final season at Liberty. He played a program-record 166 career rounds and holds the program standard with 144 counting scores.

Yaun is the only player in program history to be named to the PING All-Region team four times, and he was a GCAA All-America honorable mention selection in 2020. He also was a four-time ASUN All-Conference honoree, a three-time VaSID All-State selection and was named the 2020 VaSID Men’s Golfer of the Year.

Yaun was part of four NCAA Regional appearances for the Flames (2019, 2021-23) and helped Liberty make three-straight appearances at the NCAA Men’s Golf National Championship (2019, 2021 and 2022).

The native of Minneola, Fla., claimed medalist honors at the 2022 Folds of Honor Collegiate during the fall, winning the title with a chip-in birdie during a playoff.

Yaun led the Flames to their second ASUN Conference championship in 2023 with a record-setting performance at the conference championship event in April. Yaun claimed medalist honors with an 18-under par 198 (68-63-67), setting a new program standard for the lowest individual 54-hole total in school history.

Yaun had a banner season during his final year with the Flames. He led the team with a 70.95 season stroke average, which ranks third best in program history. He also finished the year ranked No. 53 in the country with 143 birdies.

Yaun posted four top-10 finishes in 13 team events during 2022-23 and helped the Flames advance to NCAA Regionals for the 11^th time in the last 12 completed seasons.

Later this week, Yaun will begin his professional career on the PGA Tour Canada. Earlier this spring, Yaun earned full status on the PGA Tour Canada by winning the second PGA Tour Canada Qualifying Tournament in March.

Yaun completed his undergraduate degree in interdisciplinary studies during the summer of 2022. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in sport management: hospitality that is scheduled to be finished in May 2024.

Outside of his success on the golf course and in the classroom, Yaun spent many hours helping with various community service projects, including Dollar Makes a Difference, Flames Read, Learn Like Liberty, Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat, Hop on Pop and Salvation Army.

“Looking back at my experiences here at Liberty has truly brought everything full circle,” commented Yaun. “When I first got the call from Coach Thomas, I knew Liberty was right for me. Not only did I know that Liberty competed against the best teams in the nation year in and year out, but I also knew that I would be representing a school that Trains Champions for Christ.”

“Since the first day, I stepped on campus and read 2 Corinthians 3:17, ‘Now the Lord is the Spirt; and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty’, I knew that I was where God had called me to be. I have seen God work in my life through the game of golf, and I am blessed for the people around me at Liberty. They have helped me along my journey.

“The Lord has provided me with the opportunities to compete, and I am full of contentment and gratitude. I just try to do my best and let God do the rest, knowing that his hand is on me and that any fame and notoriety should be put aside, so I know that I’m about the father’s business.”

“Liberty University has set me on a path that I am forever grateful for, and I will never forget the people that I met along my journey. My time at Liberty is coming to a close, but I have all the tools I need to go out into this world and walk by faith with whatever the Lord calls me to do.”

Yaun is the 56th overall recipient of this distinguished award, and this is the 50th year Liberty Athletics has presented its top athletics honor to a well-deserving senior student-athlete.

Rock Royer Award
1974 – Rick Herceg – Football
1975 – Sling Patterson – Football
1976 – David Neff – Football
1977 – Scott Goetz – Football

Mac Rivera Award
1977 – Paul Dalton – Men’s Basketball

Rock Royer/Mac Rivera Award
1978 – Gary Avila – Wrestling
1979 – Dave Anderson – Football
1980 – Karl Hess – Men’s Basketball
1981 – David “D.J.” Hertzler – Football
1982 – Sharon Snodgrass – Women’s Basketball
1983 – Bill Gillespie – Football/Men’s Track & Field
1984 – Rick Sielhamer – Wrestling
1985 – Sue Andrew – Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field
1985 – Dave Bream – Baseball
1986 – Ron Stamer – Men’s Soccer
1987 – Pam Wilder – Women’s Basketball
1988 – Annie Hunt Fairchild – Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field
1988 – Andre Sims – Football
1989 – Kathy Guetterman – Volleyball
1990 – Lynn Attwood – Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field/Women’s Basketball
1991 – Craig Holiday – Wrestling
1992 – Mike Coleman – Men’s Basketball
1993 – Theresa Bream – Volleyball/Women’s Basketball
1994 – James Downey – Football
1994 – Matt Hildebrand – Men’s Basketball
1995 – Todd Setsma – Men’s Golf
1996 – Ryan Werner – Men’s Track & Field
1997 – Michael Prettyman – Men’s Track & Field
1998 – Ben Anderson – Football
1999 – Jarrod Everson – Football
2000 – Elena Kisseleva – Women’s Basketball
2001 – Andrea Wildrick – Women’s Track & Field
2001 – Nathan Day – Men’s Basketball
2002 – Heather Sagan – Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field
2003 – Collin Mascagni – Men’s Soccer
2004 – Tatiana Tkachuk – Volleyball
2005 – Sam Gado – Football
2005 – Danielle McNaney – Women’s Track & Field
2006 – Sonia Rodriguez – Women’s Soccer
2006 – Phillip Thompson – Baseball
2007 – Arlene Zelinskas – Women’s Track & Field
2008 – Allyson Fasnacht – Women’s Basketball
2009 – Beth Bennett – Softball
2010 – Chris Rocco – Football
2011 – Zach Duke – Football
2012 – Jesse Sanders – Men’s Basketball
2013 – Jennifer Klugh – Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field
2014 – Trey Lambert – Baseball
2015 – Alex Close – Baseball
2016 – Ashley Rininger – Women’s Basketball
2017 – Holly Van Noord – Women’s Soccer
2018 – Evangeline Crist – Women’s Tennis
2019 – Alicia Finnigan – Women’s Swimming & Diving
2020 – Hannah Baker – Women’s Swimming & Diving
2021 – Kieran Vincent, Men’s Golf
2022 – Jill Bolton, Field Hockey
2023 – Jonathan Yaun, Men’s Golf