Category | Sports

Athletes of the Week

Published on April 28, 2009 by The Sentinel

KSU’s junior pitcher Chad Jenkins has contributed a lot for his team that currently sits near the top of the A-Sun Conference.

“Were playing really well right now,” said Jenkins. “The pitching staff is doing great.”

Jenkins was named the A-Sun pitcher of the week Monday for the second consecutive week, and for the third time this season.

“It’s a great honor to be honest,” said Jenkins. “I am prepared and get myself ready week in and week out.”

On April 24 he lead the Owls to a 26 - 2 win over Belmont after pitching eight scoreless innings.

Jenkins has gone 8 - 2 as a starter, the highest for the Owls.

Jenkins is currently tied alongside Kyle Heckathorn for total batters struck out with 68. He also holds the record for the most strikeouts within a game against Belmont and ETSU with 12. However, it’s the wins that mean more to him then the stats.

“[I am] focused on trying to win the game,” said Jenkins. “I like to see the win columns.”

Currently, the Owls (23-16 overall / 15 - 5 A-Sun) have dropped to second place in the A-Sun behind Florida Gulf Coast (25 - 16 overall / 16 - 5 A-Sun).

Jenkins believes that, to remain at the top of the conference, they need to stay consistent. “We’ve just got to keep playing like were playing,” he said.

He currently holds a 2.32 ERA after 66 innings pitched.

Before coming to KSU, Jenkins was named Cherokee County Player of the Year and Cherokee County All-County Selection in High School. He was also listed as a top 50 prospect by the AJC.

KSU women’s track and field member Jill Arthur is fulfilling a key role for her team in jumps and hurdles.

As a sophomore, Arthur has already broken many of her own personal records in events like the indoor long jump and triple jump.

She set a KSU record in the triple jump with a distance of 12.13m in Baton Rouge, La. at the LSU Alumni Gold. The record jump was enough to put her in second place.

“It’s a great feeling to set a record,” said Arthur. “I want to do better than I did before.”

Along with the triple jump, she finished in fourth place in the long jump with a distance of 5.70m.

Coming into the LSU Alumni Gold, the Owls wanted to do well not only for their school, but for their head coach Don McGarey who is a graduate of LSU.

“My coach went there for college,” said Arthur. “I wanted to do very well.”

On May 9 the Owls are traveling to Athens, Ga. to compete at the Georgia Invite. Arthur believes that if the Owls are going to be successful they will need to work hard in the gym and at the track.

During the competition, she explains that her team will need to remain consistent. She also hopes to break a personal record in the triple jump.

“I know I am capable enough in doing it,” said Arthur.

Arthur graduated from Chestake High School in Gainesville, Ga. where she was a track MVP for four years straight. She was a three-time region winner in the long jump and triple jump.

During her senior year, she finished in first place in the triple jump and long jump competitions at state. She also holds her school records in the long jump, triple jump and 100m hurdles.