Shooting 2-over-par in a college golf tournament isn’t usually a noteworthy achievement. Doing it in 40 degree weather with 30-mile an-hour winds and drizzle, like GW freshman Brandon Rukin did at the 11th annual GW Golf Invitational at Bear Trap Dunes Golf Course in Bethany Beach, Del., is a much bigger deal.

It was such a big deal, in fact, that the Atlantic 10 conference named Rukin both the conference performer of the week and rookie of the week. His 2-over performance at the GW Invitational, which took place March 20 and 21, gave Rukin the highest finish of his short career (second place out of 117) and his second top-five finish in six events this season. Rukin finished only one shot behind the Invitational winner, Delaware’s Justin Martinson.

The poor playing conditions had a significant effect on the tournament, which was reduced from 54 to 36 holes at least partially due to the weather. Rukin said the weather that day has made it hard for him to judge his own performance.

“The score was hard to compare,” Rukin said of his performance. “I’ve shot better than 2-over before, obviously. But the conditions were so difficult that two over par for two rounds was a great score.”

The Oklahoma native, who was also named Colonial of the Week by GW’s athletic department, said the honors came as little surprise.

“I don’t know really what the qualifications are to winning that award,” Rukin said of the honors he received from the A-10. “I was obviously the top A-10 finisher in the tournament . there were other A-10 teams there, so I was top out of them, so I probably deserved the award.”

Rukin’s performance this season comes one year after now-sophomore Brendan Barrack won conference rookie of the week honors six times last year. Rukin, who also played hockey in high school, said that the transition to Division I golf has at times been difficult for him.

“It’s a completely different world. Going from a senior in high school when you’re the oldest, obviously, playing against kids four years younger than you, to being the youngest again and going from one level to the next,” Rukin said. “It’s a D-I college sport, so it’s a whole different world of golf. It’s the best players in the country.”

And while Rukin has managed to adjust to the new level of play, his awards have not stopped his teammates from handing out a little trash talk to the hot-shot freshman.

“They’re giving me a little crap for it,” Rukin said. “But they obviously like to see a teammate play well.”