Mark Maloney on Kentucky sports

Highlights from Monday’s baseball/softball media at the University of Kentucky’s Wildcat Den.

Pre-season All-America CF Austin Cousino fields questions during UK Baseball Media Day. (Mark Maloney photo)

Leading off with baseball, as high as No. 8 (Collegiate Baseball) in the pre-season rankings.

The Wildcats are coming off a school-record 45-18 season, 18-13 in the Southeastern Conference, and an NCAA regional berth.

“We’re excited to get the season going. We’ve got a great group of kids,” Coach Gary Henderson said. “Lots of energy in the program. Lots of excitement with returning kids that have done well here, had good summers, had impressive falls. It’s a good group of kids. They like each other. They like to practice. They like to play. So it’s an exciting time for us.”

The Cats’ weekend (SEC) rotation sets up with left-handers Jerad Grundy, A.J. Reed and Corey Littrell.

“We’ve got four guys in my mind that could easily be weekend starters but, obviously, it’s only going to be three. And because of what we’ve got in the bullpen, it seems to make sense to hold the right-hander back.”

The right-hander being Chandler Shepherd, a sophomore out of Lawrence County.

“We need what he has in the bullpen, so that’s what we’ll start,” Henderson said. “Sometimes things change, and sometimes they don’t. There’s been years here we’ve been the same three guys the entire year. We’ll see how it goes. But that’s three talented kids and they’ll do a very good job of competing and throwing strikes.”

Having lost the powerful tandem of Michael Williams and Luke Maile, catcher is the most notable void to be filled.

“We’ve got Micheal Thomas, who’s in front right now,” Henderson said. “We’ve got three other guys — Greg Fettes is a redshirt freshman; Zach Arnold and Casey Schroeder are freshman. All three of the kids have been drafted, so we’ve got some talented kids back there.

“I’m really happy with Micheal Thomas’ progression  and development, maturity and growth and all those things that you look for. He’s done a great job. If anybody who’s followed the program at all during my time here … you know that I’m a big advocate of two catchers. Doesn’t mean that you have to do it that way; I just like to do it that way, for a couple of reasons. That’s exactly what we’ll shoot for this year. Micheal Thomas right now is the guy that we’re going to run out there early, and see which one of those other three guys can grow into that position.”

The baseball Cats open the season Feb. 15, facing UNC-Asheville at Wofford. The home opener, against Murray State, is set for Feb. 26.

* UK softball opens Friday, taking on California — the first of six games the Cats will play at Tempe, Ariz.

UK’s first 20 games will be on the road while finishing touches are being put on UK’s renovated home complex.

After playing at Tempe, the Cats will play in tournaments at San Diego, Spartanburg (S.C.) and Tampa. The home opener, against Marshall, is set for March 6.

UK will be home to the Southeastern Conference tournament, May 8-11.

Coach Rachel Lawson said she focused on adding power and speed in what is viewed as an outstanding freshman class. She anticipates that four or five newcomers could land starting jobs.

The Cats made their fourth consecutive NCAA appearance last season, finishing 30-30.

A tip of the (baseball) cap to Steve Fohl, assistant director of athletic public relations at Eastern Kentucky University, for the following …

 The EKU Department of Athletics unveiled its All-Century Baseball Team in a special ceremony at the annual Diamond Legacy Dinner on Saturday night in the Keen Johnson Ballroom. Twenty-one of the 29 players and coaches on the team were able to attend the event, while two others were represented by family.

The All-Century Baseball Team is made up of the following positions: infielders (nine), outfielders (seven), pitchers (six), catchers (three), utility players (two) and coaches (two). 

EKU is celebrating “100 Years of EKU Baseball” during the 2011 season. The storied program, which first fielded a team during the 1911 season, has won 19 Ohio Valley Conference Championships (regular-season and tournament), advanced to four NCAA Regionals and produced 21 All-Americans, nine OVC Players of the Year and 97 All-OVC players. 

TheAll-Century Baseball Team members:

Infielders
Frank Borgia (1966-68) – Started at shortstop for Eastern for three seasons and was selected first-team All-OVC twice.  He batted .475 in 1968 which still stands as the modern record at Eastern for highest single season batting average.  He finished sixth in the nation in batting in 1968 and stole 18 bases in 19 attempts as a freshman.
Jimmy Cain (1967-69) – A two-year All-OVC third baseman for the Colonels who batted .395 and .400 in those two seasons.  His junior year, he finished second in the nation in home runs and runs batted in per game while being named the team’s Most Valuable Player.  He was also a member of the 1967 OVC championship squad.
Lee Chapman (1997-2000) – Started four years for the Colonels at first base and received All-OVC recognition his junior and senior seasons.  Still the holder of five Eastern school records, he hit 52 career home runs and knocked in 210 runs at EKU, while stealing 47 bases and collecting a .329 batting average.
Clay Elswick (1983-86) – A four-year letterman and three-year starter for the Colonels at first base.  His senior year, he posted 20 home runs, 82 RBI, a .426 batting average and was selected OVC Player of the Year in leading the Colonels to a third straight NCAA Tournament appearance.
Frank Kremblas (1986-89) – A two-time All-OVC performer that played both second base and catcher. He batted .381 as a junior with seven home runs, 43 RBI and 21 stolen bases, and he was a 23^rd round draft choice of the Cincinnati Reds.
Jayson Langfels (2008-10) – Started at third base all three years he played for Eastern and was a first team All-OVC choice the past two years.  EKU’s all-time leader in triples with 18, he turned in a fantastic 2009 season when he hit .441 with six triples, 12 home runs and 72 RBI.  He finished his EKU career with 203 hits, 32 home runs, 161 runs batted in and a .364 batting average.  He was drafted this past June in the 16^th round by the Colorado Rockies.
Arnold Nyulassy (1965-68) – A three-time All-OVC first baseman who hit .378 as a junior in 1967 and was part of an Eastern infield that turned 38 double plays in 29 games.
Neil Sellers (2001-04) – A three-time All-OVC third baseman and is listed in the EKU record books for RBI, hits, at bats, doubles and home runs.  His career totals at Eastern include 41 home runs, 62 doubles, 279 hits and 214 runs batted in while compiling a four-year batting average of .353.  Drafted by the Houston Astros in the 32^nd round of the 2004 draft, he is now a member of the Florida Marlins’ organization after playing the previous three years in the Philadelphia Phillies’ organization.
Jason Sharp (1997-2000) – A four-year starter who received all-conference notice from the OVC in 1998 and 1999.  He played both shortstop and third base in his career for the Colonels and had career totals of 32 home runs, 145 runs batted in and a .337 batting average.

Outfielders
Josh Anderson (2001-03) – The OVC Player of the Year in 2003 and Eastern’s first-ever, first-team Louisville Slugger All-American choice after leading the nation in stolen bases with 57 and batting a national third-best .447 his junior year.  He was a fourth round draft selection of the Houston Astros and has played for four major league teams.  Anderson was also a three-time all-conference selection and is an EKU Athletics Hall of Fame member.
Joe Banko (1989-90) – A two-time All-OVC player for the Colonels and was a member of the 1989 OVC champion and NCAA Tournament Eastern squad that won 39 games.  An All-South Region performer, his two-year career statistics showed him with a .341 batting average, 17 home runs and 89 runs batted in while stealing 64 bases. 
Brandon Berger (1994-96) – Drafted after his junior season at Eastern in the 14^th round by the Kansas City Royals.  He received all-conference recognition his last two seasons at Eastern and batted .301 with eight home runs and 38 runs batted in his final year as a Colonel. 
Earle Combs (1920) – The most decorated of anyone selected to the team as he was inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in 1970.  The highlight of his Eastern experience came in 1920 when he batted .596 and hit at least one home run in all 12 games the Maroons played.  He later had a fabulous 12-year career with the New York Yankees where he finished with a .325 career batting average.  He batted leadoff and played centerfield for what is considered the best baseball team of all-time, the 1927 Murderer’s Row Yankees’ team.
Robert Moore (1985-87) – A three-time first team All-OVC selection, Moore posted career numbers of 54 doubles, 11 triples, a .386 batting average and 67 stolen bases. As a junior in 1987, he had 12 consecutive hits, one short of the NCAA record and was named OVC Player of the Year.  He was a 16^th round draft choice of the Kansas City Royals.
Sean Murray (1998-99) – A two-year All-OVC pick.  In his two seasons with the Colonels, he had career totals of 29 home runs, 109 runs batted in and a .377 batting average after hitting a team-leading .402 as a junior and making the All-OVC Tournament team. 
Ron Pinsenchaum (1964-67) – A three-time All-OVC player in the Eastern outfield, Pinsenchaum was inducted into the EKU Athletics Hall of Fame posthumously last October.  He was a member of two OVC championship teams and as a sophomore in 1965 reached base an amazing 68 times in 99 plate appearances.

Pitchers
Jeff Cruse (1984-87) – A two-year All-OVC pitcher who was also a member of three NCAA Tournament teams at Eastern, Cruse still holds Eastern’s career record for most victories with 30 against just six losses and recorded 208 strikeouts in 278 innings.  He also owns EKU’s career mark for complete games with 20 and collected a fantastic 10-1 record as a junior. The right-hander was signed by the Kansas City Royals following his senior year.
Steve Engel (1981-83) – A two-time all-conference pitcher for the Colonels, Engel finished fifth in the nation in strikeouts per nine innings with his 11.1 strikeouts average per game as a sophomore.  The third-highest major league draft choice in Colonel baseball history, the left-hander was drafted following his junior season in the fifth round by the Chicago Cubs, pitching for the National League team at Wrigley Field in 1985.
Don Feltner (1952-55) — Pitched four seasons for EKU and compiled a 21-3 record on the mound.  He was a member of Eastern’s 1954 OVC championship team and his career included four shutouts and a 1.92 earned run average.  The right-hander also threw one of six no-hitters in Colonel baseball history and was recently inducted into the EKU Athletics Hall of Fame.
Christian Friedrich (2006-08) – OVC Rookie of the Year in 2006 and OVC Pitcher of the Year in 2008 while being selected first team all-conference for three seasons.  The first team All-American posted gaudy national attention three-year career stats of a 1.84 ERA, 327 strikeouts, an opponents’ batting average of .174 and 20 victories.  A first-round draft choice of the Colorado Rockies, the southpaw was recently chosen as one of major league baseball’s top 50 prospects for the 2011 season.
Dave Quick (1960-63) – A two-time All-OVC pitcher and OVC Player of the Year in 1963 when he posted a 1.38 ERA.  A member of two OVC championship teams, one of the lefty’s top outings in 1963 was a 12-inning, 2-0 masterpiece over Morehead State where he struck out 19 batters.
Randy White (1986-89) – A two-time All-OVC player and the OVC Player of the Year in 1989 when he posted a 10-3 record with a 3.01 earned run average.  In his four years at Eastern, the right-hander won 27 games, lost only 11, posted a 3.59 ERA and was a member of three OVC championship squads.

Catchers
Blake Barthol (1992-95) – A four-year starter for the Colonels and received All-OVC recognition his junior and senior years.  Chosen in the 21^st round of the 1995 Major League Draft by the Colorado Rockies, he batted .330 his senior year with six home runs and 46 runs batted in.
Brad Brian (1982-86) – A three-year starter at catcher for the Colonels where he hit .356 with nine home runs and 42 runs batted in as a senior when he was named first-team all-conference.  A career .337 hitter at EKU, he was drafted following his senior year in the 30^th round by the Montreal Expos.
Roger Roberts (1969-72) — A two-time All-OVC performer and three-year starter at catcher who led the Colonels with 33 runs batted in in 1972.

Utility Players
Brett Bolger (2003-06) – Started four years for the Colonels and received all-conference notice three of those seasons. The pre-season OVC Player of the Year in 2006 by Collegiate Baseball magazine, he posted career totals at Eastern of 262 hits, 160 runs scored, 59 stolen bases and a batting average of .359, highlighted by his junior year when he led the conference in hitting with a .398 average.
Ron Pezzoni (1987-89) – A three-year all-conference performer for the Colonels and was one of the hitting stars for the 1989 NCAA Regional playoff team.  He posted three-year career numbers of a .398 batting average and 91 stolen bases, which still stand as the second highest number of steals in school history.

Coaches
Charles “Turkey” Hughes (1941-71) – Served as head coach of the Eastern baseball program for 31 years.  During that time span, he led EKU to 10 OVC championships and was voted OVC Coach of the Year in 1967.  Considered as one of the Founding Fathers of the Ohio Valley Conference who formed the league in 1948, he is a member of the EKU, the OVC and the Kentucky Athletic Halls of Fame and coached five different sports at Eastern in his 43-year tenure with the EKU Athletics Department.  The field the Colonels play on today is named in his honor.
Jim Ward (1980-2001) – Served as head coach at Eastern from 1980-2001 and won 628 games for the Colonels, five regular season OVC titles and sent four Eastern teams to the NCAA Tournament. A member of the OVC and EKU Halls of Fame, he was five-time OVC Coach of the Year, coached five OVC Players of the Year and 64 ALL-OVC players.  Including his 11 seasons at Stetson University, he finished his collegiate coaching career with 939 victories. 

EKU Athletics Hall of Fame inductees include (front row, left to right): Fred Harvey, Tuck Woolum, Larry Joe Inman, Jamie Parker Welt and Don Feltner; (back row) Angela Boykins, Roosevelt Kelly, John Allen, Ken Glover and Jaree Goodin Baker.

Courtesy of Mike Clark, director of athletic public relations at Eastern Kentucky University …

The Eastern Kentucky University Athletics Hall of Fame enshrined its fifth induction class, featuring 13 individuals, during a Friday evening ceremony in EKU’s Keen Johnson Building.

The 2010 induction class includes: John Allen (men’s basketball); Steve Bird (football); Angela Boykins (volleyball); Don Feltner (baseball); Ken Glover (men’s track & field); Jaree Goodin (women’s basketball); Fred Harvey (football); Larry Joe Inman (women’s basketball coach); Roosevelt Kelly (football); Deanne Madden-Scanlon (volleyball); Jamie Parker (Welt) (softball); Ron Pinsenschaum (baseball); Tuck Woolum (football).

The group will also be recognized just prior to the Colonels’ football game against Eastern Illinois Saturday at 7 p.m.

John Allen (Class of 1994) – Men’s Basketball
John Allen (1990-94), a member of the University’s All-Century Basketball Team, was a four-year starter for the Colonels and finished his career as the fourth all-time leading scorer in Colonel history with 1,635 points.  He led the team in scoring his last three seasons and was chosen as the Ohio Valley Conference inaugural Freshman of the Year in 1990-91. A first-team All-OVC selection as a senior when he led the team in scoring (15.6 ppg) and was second in rebounding (6.9 rpg) and field goal percentage (.492), he concluded his Eastern career as the 12th all-time leading rebounder with 684 rebounds. Allen played in 116 games as a Colonel and had career averages of 14.1 ppg, 5.9 rpg, and a 48.5 field goal percentage. He played in Finland for Provoo Tarmo for one season and played for the Sports Reach Christian Outreach team for five years. He currently resides in Metcalfe County where he lives with his wife Tammy and his two children, Jax and Jozie. He teaches at Metcalfe County High School where he has been involved in coaching basketball for the past 10 years.

Steve Bird (Class of 1983) – Football
Steve Bird was a four-year letterman and three-year starter at wide receiver for coach Roy Kidd’s football Colonels, playing in four consecutive national championship games (1979-82). He enjoyed a breakout season in 1982 in helping lead Eastern to an undefeated 13-0 season which culminated in the school’s second national championship. Bird was a first-team All-OVC choice in 1982 when he was also selected to the I-AA All-American team by Kodak, The Sporting News and Associated Press. He was also chosen as the OVC’s Male Athlete of the Year for 1982-83. Bird won the Chevrolet Most Valuable Player of the Game three times his senior season when he led Eastern and the OVC with 63 receptions for 1,056 yards and 10 touchdowns. He was drafted in the fifth round of the 1983 National Football League draft by the St. Louis Cardinals and played two seasons of professional football which concluded in the 1984 season with the San Diego Chargers.  Since 1987, he has served as assistant coach for 10 NCAA Division I schools and is currently on the coaching staff at the University of South Florida.

Angela Boykins (Class of 1987) — Volleyball
Angela Boykins lettered four seasons (1983-86) for Coach Geri Polvino’s women’s volleyball team and was a driving force on all four Colonel squads as a middle hitter. She was a three-time All-OVC first-team selection and she also was a three-time OVC All-Tournament team choice. Boykins was the 1985 and the 1986 OVC Co-Player of the Year and was named to the 1986 American Volleyball Coaches Association All-Region team. She helped lead Eastern to the OVC Tournament championship each of her four seasons with the Colonels and OVC regular season titles in 1984, 1985 and 1986. She is ranked fourth in the Eastern record book for career kills (1,497), career block assists (457) and career block solos (162).

Don Feltner (Class of 1956) – Baseball
Don Feltner, a four-year letterman for Coach Turkey Hughes’ Maroons baseball team, compiled a 21-3 career record from 1952-55, including a complete-game, nine-inning victory over Xavier University and Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Bunning. On May 13, 1954, he pitched one of only six no-hitters in school history in defeating Morehead State 10-0 as the Maroons won their third Ohio Valley Conference championship. His career record included four shutouts and an ERA of 1.92. Scouted by the Brooklyn Dodgers in his hometown of Hazard, he chose to pursue a college degree, putting a professional baseball career on hold, turning down signing with the National League club on three occasions. As a student-athlete, he also served as sports information director and is credited with establishing the school’s sports publicity program. Following his four-year playing career, in 1956, he served as graduate assistant pitching coach for Turkey Hughes in 1956 before entering military service as a commissioned officer. On his return to Eastern in 1959, he resumed his career as an administrator and Assistant Head Baseball Coach in 1959 and 1960, guiding Eastern to back-to-back OVC championships. After the 1960 season, under new president Robert Martin, his administrative career that spanned 42 years broadened as he established and nurtured programs in all areas of university relations as director, dean, and from 1970-99 as Vice President for University Advancement. In this role, he designed and directed a number of capital campaigns for campus buildings and improvements, was instrumental in the acquisition of the Arlington estate, and began Eastern’s major giving programs and constituency support programs including the Colonel Club and, with Coach Jim Ward, the baseball team’s Diamond Boosters. Since his retirement in 1999, he has served the community on a number of charitable boards and commissions including chairman of the Madison County United Way campaign, the American Cancer Society, campaigns to build the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame and Museum and the Hospice Compassionate Care center, among others.

Ken Glover (Class of 1982) – Men’s Track and Field
Ken Glover lettered four seasons for coach Rick Erdmann’s Eastern men’s track and field team in the high jump event. He was a four-time high jump champion in the Ohio Valley Conference and was a member of the OVC’s prestigious 40th anniversary track and field team in 1988. He won the OVC indoor high jump title in 1981 with a leap of 7-2 and the conference indoor championship in 1982 with his 7-2.25 mark. Glover followed those efforts up with OVC outdoor high jump titles in 1981 (7-2.5) and 1982 (7.3), the latter of which still stands as the conference record. He was listed in 1980 with the 10th best high jump in the United States. Glover also owns the school record for best indoor high jump with his mark of 7-4.25 in 1981 and has the school outdoor mark for best high jump with his leap of 7-5 in 1982. He is currently serving as a computer systems analyst for the city of Lynchburg, Va.

Jaree Goodin (Class of 1993)  –  Women’s Basketball
Jaree Goodin was a four-year starter for Coach Larry Joe Inman’s Lady Colonel basketball team. She finished her Eastern career as the No. 3 all-time leading scorer with 1,679 points and as the No. 3 career-leading rebounder with 914 rebounds. She also closed her Eastern career with the third-best field goal percentage (.492) in school history. Goodin was an OVC All-Freshman Team choice in 1989-90, an honorable mention All-OVC pick as a sophomore and a second-team All-OVC selection her junior and senior years. Goodin was a two-time All-OVC Tournament choice and was chosen as the Most Valuable Player of the OVC Tournament in 1992. She is the school record holder for most field goals in a single game when she made 18 on her way to a 41-point scoring night as a freshman against Marshall. A three-time Fast Break magazine All-American choice, she was the EKU Female Athlete of the Year in 1992-93 and a fourth-team Division I All-American that season. She was chosen as a member of the Corbin High School Hall of Fame in 1999 and has served as Vice President of International Biological Resources.

Fred Harvey (Class of 1987) – Football
Fred Harvey was a four-year starter and letterman for Coach Roy Kidd’s football Colonels at linebacker. He was a first-team All-American his senior season by Kodak, Associated Press, The Sporting News and the Walter Camp Football Foundation. Harvey was also a second-team AP All-American and the 1986 The Football News I-AA Defensive Player of the Year.  EKU’s all-time leading tackler with 503 tackles, Harvey was a two-time OVC Defensive Player of the Year in 1984 and 1986 and was chosen as the 1986-87 OVC Male Athlete of the Year. He was also selected to the All-Ohio Valley Conference first team in 1984 and 1986. Harvey was picked last fall as one of Eastern’s all-time best linebackers on Eastern’s All-Century Football team.

Larry Joe Inman (Coach) – Women’s Basketball
Larry Joe Inman, who was inducted into the Ohio Valley Conference Hall of Fame last year, served as head coach of the Eastern women’s basketball team from 1988-2008, compiling a 319-244 record and leading the Lady Colonels to two OVC Tournament championships and two NCAA Tournament appearances (1996-97, 2004-05). In being named OVC Coach of the Year eight times, he also directed Eastern to five OVC regular season championships. He also led the Lady Colonels to the 2002 WNIT Sweet Sixteen. He is the all-time winningest coach in Ohio Valley Conference women’s basketball history with his record of 480-317, which places him as the 46th all-time winningest coach in NCAA women’s basketball history. Prior to coming to Eastern, he served as a high school coach at Mt. Juliet (Tenn.) High School, recording an impressive 126-24 mark in five seasons. He then moved to Middle Tennessee State University for eight seasons as head coach where he went 161-73 and won five OVC regular season titles and made four NCAA tourney appearances from his four OVC Tournament championships. He is currently serving as head coach of the girls’ basketball team at Lebanon (Tenn.) High School. A 1970 graduate of Austin Peay State University, he is married to the former Bobbie Gene Follis and they have three children.

Roosevelt Kelly (Class of 1977) – Football
Roosevelt Kelly played center four seasons (1973-76) for Coach Roy Kidd’s Eastern football team. He was a first team All-OVC pick in 1976 and was named to the first-team Kodak, Associated Press and The Sporting News All-American teams. He was also selected last fall as the center on Eastern’s All-Century Team as the University’s athletics department celebrated 100 Years of Eastern football. Upon conclusion of his senior season, Kelly was drafted in the ninth round of the NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. In his four seasons with the EKU football program, the Colonels compiled a 31-11-1 record, won two OVC titles and participated in the 1976 NCAA Division II playoffs. He was instrumental in opening holes for four seasons for All-American and EKU Hall of Fame member Everett “Poo-Loo” Talbert who twice ran for more than 1,000 yards behind Kelly. He also protected quarterback Ernie House who was OVC Co-Offensive Player of the Year in 1976 and who threw for 1,486 yards and 11 TDs. He is married to Tara Kelly, who is the founder and CEO of the TYL Foundation of Cincinnati, Ohio which helps young women learn life’s skills.

Deanne Madden-Scanlon (Class of 1983) – Volleyball
Deanne Madden-Scanlon played four seasons and was a two-year starter for Coach Geri Polvino’s Eastern women’s volleyball team from 1979-82. Chosen the EKU Female Athlete of the Year in 1982-83 in the women’s athletics department and picked on the 1982 All-OVC Tournament Team, she was a member of Eastern’s Ohio Valley Conference Tournament championship teams in 1981 and 1982 when the Colonels finished those years with overall records of 36-11 and 34-15, respectively. She is listed in the EKU record book with the sixth (.306, 1981) and seventh (.306, 1982) all-time best hitting percentages in a single season. She also has the top two seasons for single season block solos with 77 in 1982 and 73 in 1981 and she is listed with the third best single season total for block assists with 186 in 1981. She is also among the career leaders for Eastern in hitting percentage (.306, second all-time), block solos (150, fifth) and block assists (307, eighth). Following graduation from Eastern in 1983, Madden-Scanlon, a native of Zanesville, Ohio played on the U.S. Women’s National Team and later spent a full decade as a player in the United States Volleyball Association, twice earning All-American honors. She also played on a Women’s Senior Division team that was national runner-up in 1993. She has spent the last 16 years as head coach of Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mich., where she has compiled an impressive overall mark of 403-115. She has led the Lakers to 10 straight appearances in the NCAA Division II post-season tournament, highlighted by the 2005 team that went 32-6 and won the national championship. Madden-Scanlon was chosen AVCA National Coach of the Year following that season. She is married to Jim Scanlon who played baseball at Eastern and they have two children and reside in Jenison, Mich.

Jamie Parker Welt (Class of 1997) – Softball
Jamie Parker was a pitcher, designated hitter and infielder for three seasons for Coach Jane Worthington’s EKU softball team. She was a three-time All-Ohio Valley Conference choice for the Colonels in 1994, 1995 and 1996 and still holds single season records for most hits (84) and most at bats (205). She also holds career records at Eastern for best batting average (.392) and on-base percentage (.450). As a sophomore in 1994, Parker led the team in batting with her .363 average which included four home runs and 27 RBI.  She also pitched in 37 games that season, recording 12 wins with an ERA of 2.50. In 1995, as a junior, she again led the team in batting with her .410 average, four homers and 40 RBIs. As a senior in 1996, Parker was Eastern’s top slugger, hitting .399 with three home runs and 14 RBIs. She also appeared in 27 games in ’96 for the Colonels as a pitcher, collecting 10 victories, recording a miniscule 1.67 ERA.

Ron Pinsenschaum (Class of 1967) – Baseball
Ron Pinsenschaum was a four-year starter in the outfield for Coach Turkey Hughes’ Eastern baseball team and was named first-team All-Ohio Valley Conference in 1965, 1966 and 1967. He was selected as EKU’s Most Valuable Player in 1967 when the Colonels won the OVC championship. He also was a driving force in Eastern winning four OVC division crowns and the 1966 OVC title. His senior season, he was elected as Homecoming King and was also chosen as Mr. Popularity on campus. Following graduation with a double major in biology and chemistry, he volunteered to serve for the U.S. Army in the Vietnam War where he was awarded four purple hearts, the Silver Star Medal, the Army Commendation Medal and the Republic of South Vietnam Training Service Medal. Upon his discharge from the Army, he moved to Dayton, Ohio where he received his Master’s of Divinity degree and began teaching at Dayton Christian High School. He began his coaching career at Dayton Christian serving as an assistant baseball coach while teaching anatomy and physiology. He introduced soccer to the school system and began a very successful career coaching soccer in 1978. In what became his final year of coaching, Pinsenschaum was named the Ohio Soccer Class AAA Coach of the Year in 1986. Following his untimely death in 1987, the Dayton Christian School’s Soccer Camp was named in his honor and shortly thereafter, the track and soccer field at Dayton Christian was named the Ronald G. Pinsenschaum Memorial Stadium. Also, the Ohio Scholastic Soccer Coaches Association annually awards the Ron Pinsenschaum Award to a coach of a boys’ soccer team. A graduate of Western Hills High School in Cincinnati, Ohio he is survived by his widow, Janet Carlson of Dayton, Ohio; two children, Ryan and Julie; and four grandchildren, Todd, Lydia, Lisa and Ronald.

Tuck Woolum (Class of 1983) – Football
Tuck Woolum was a three-year letterwinner at quarterback for Coach Roy Kidd’s EKU football squad and was a member of four consecutive Colonel teams that played in the I-AA national championship game. In 1982 as a senior, Woolum was a first-team All-OVC quarterback selection as he led the Colonels to a perfect 13-0 season which culminated in the school’s second national championship and a final ranking of No. 1 in the I-AA poll. While serving as captain that 1982 season and receiving honorable mention All-American honors, he set five single season school passing records. The Colonels were an amazing 46-7 during his four years on the football team. Woolum served EKU as a student assistant in 1983 and 1984 and also had assistant football coaching stints at The Citadel, EKU (1986-90), Western Carolina and Pineville High School.  He later served as head coach at Union College where he was Mid-South Conference Coach of the Year in 1995 and served a four-year term as a member of the NAIA Hall of Fame committee. He was a member of the American Football Coaches Association for 20 years and has served the city of Pineville in many civic endeavors.

Western Kentucky University’s Toppers on Tour will be making six stops over 19 days in June, starting Friday (June 4) at Good Ol’ Days BBQ Farm in Versailles. The program, at 544 Old Frankfort Pike, is scheduled to start at 6 p.m.

Featured will be: Ross Bjork, director of intercollegiate athletics; Willie Taggart, fooball coach; Ken McDonald, men’s basketball coach; Mary Taylor Cowles, women’s basketball coach; Chris Finwood, baseball coach, along with student-athletes, cheerleaders, Topperettes and mascot Big Red.

Other scheduled stops on the tour will be in the Louisville, Elizabethtown, Nashville, Glasgow and Owensboro areas. The schedule: June 14, 6:30 p.m., Heritage Hills Golf Club in Shepherdsville; June 15, 5:30 p.m., Lincoln Trail Country Club in Vine Grove; June 17, 7 p.m. (6 CDT), at the home of Julie Taleghani, 1416 Willowbrook Circle in Franklin, Tenn.; June 21, 6:30 p.m. (5:30 CDT), Glasgow Country Club in Glasgow; and June 22, 6:30 p.m. (5:30 CDT), WKU-Owensboro, 4821 New Hartford Road.

Bjork was hired by Western on March 12. He worked the previous five seasons as senior associate athletic director for development and external relations at UCLA. He had previous stops at Miami (Fla.), Missouri and, in 1996-97, was assistant development coordinator at WKU.

Taggart, a quarterback who set 11 school records from 1995 through 1998, is one of four players in WKU’s 91-year football history to have his jersey retired. He was named head coach last Nov. 23. He had been running backs coach at Stanford (2007-09) and, before that, served eight season on the Hilltoppers staff.

Cowles is a three-time Sun Belt Conference coach of the year. She has been head coach the past eight seasons, served seven seasons as an assistant coach and played four seasons. She has been a part of 426 of the program’s 806 all-time wins.

McDonald is entering his third season as men’s basketball coach. In his first season, he led the Hilltoppers to their 41st conference championship and a first-round victory over Illinois in the NCAA Tournament. Under McDonald, WKU also has wins over Louisville, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State and Georgia.

Finwood is in his fifth season as baseball coach. He was coach of the year in the Sun Belt in 2009, when he led the Hilltoppers to a second straight NCAA Tournament appearance. WKU had a school-record six players drafted by Major League Baseball last year.

UK shortstop Molly Johnson will represent the United States in this summer's Japan Cup. (Photos by Mark Cornelison)

With a season to go, Molly Johnson already is among UK's top 10 in career batting average, hits, runs, homers, RBI, steals and other categories.

University of Kentucky shortstop Molly Johnson has been named to the USA Softball women’s team that will compete in the Japan Cup, July 31-Aug. 2, at Sendai, Japan.

Johnson, who as a junior this year became UK’s first softball All-American, tried out for the National Team last week at Chula Vista, Calif. Although not named to the national team, she was added to the roster for the Japan Cup.

Team USA, which returns eight players from the 2008 Olympic silver-medal team, opens play in the Canada Cup, July 4-12, at Surrey, British Columbia, as well as the World Cup, July 16-20, at Oklahoma City. Nine of the 18 National Team members will supplement the Japan Cup roster. Seven National Team members are included on the squad that will play in the Pan American Qualifier Tournament,  July 31-Aug. 9, at Maracay, Venezuela.

This season, Johnson set school records for runs (53), hits (81) and on-base percentage (.498) to help UK to its first Southeastern Conference Tournament appearance since 2001. The Wildcats notched their first-ever post-season victory, as well as their first NCAA Tournament bid.

After graduating from high school in Arizona, and once enrolled at UK Johnson and parents Don and Teri relocated to Lexington. Johnson, who says she considers Kentucky her home now, has started all 164 games since joining the program.

With a season to go, Johnson already blankets UK’s career top 10 lists: first in batting (.395) and slugging (.648); second in doubles (45), homers (22) and runs (113); fourth in total bases (320); fifth in RBI (110), stolen bases (46) and defensive assists (379); and sixth in triples (7) and hits (195).

National Team roster

Head coach: Jay Miller (Starkville, Miss.). Assistants: Gordon Eakin (Sandy, Utah); Ken Eriksen (Tampa, Fla.), Barbara Jordan (Northridge, Calif.).
Players — Monica Abbott (Salinas, Calif.); Chelsea Bramlett (Cordova, Tenn.); Katie Burkhart (San Luis Obispo, Calif.); Ashey Charters (Beaverton, Ore.); Kaitlin Cochran (Yorba Linda, Calif.); Andrea Duran (Selma, Calif.); Jennie Finch (La Mirada, Calif.); Vicky Galindo (Union City, Calif.); Alissa Haber (Newark, Calif.); Ashley Hansen (Chandler, Ariz.); Ashley Holcombe (Fayetteville, Ga.); Lauren Lappin (Anaheim, Calif.); Jenae Leles (Fair Oaks, Calif.); Caitlin Lowe (Tustin, Calif.); Stacey Nelson (Los Alamitos, Calif.); Cat Osterman (Houston); Brittany Rogers (Dacula, Ga.); Natasha Watley (Irvine, Calif.).

USA Softball’s Japan Cup team

Head coach: Miller; Assistants: Suzy Brazney (Buena Park, Calif.); Chuck D’Arcy (Sacramento, Calif.); Jordan.
Players — Valorie Arioto (Pleasanton, Calif.); Courtney Bures (Haymarket, Va.); Burkhart; Stacie Chambers (Glendale, Ariz.); Charters; Finch; Haber; Molly Johnson (Lexington); Lappin; Brittany Lastrapes (Laguna Niguel, Calif.); Leles; Nelson; Amber Patton (Forsyth, Ill.); Rogers; Taylor Schlopy (West Hills, Calif.); Watley.

Pan American Qualifier Team

Head coach: Miller. Assistants: Karen Johns (Whippany, N.J.); Mike Larabee (Dayton, Ohio); Pat Murphy (Northport, Ala.).
Players – Abbott; K’Lee Arredondo (Tempe, Ariz.); Brandice Balschmiter (Newark, N.Y.); Bramlett; Cochran; Duran; Galindo; Hansen; Holcombe; Megan Langenfeld (Bakersfield, Calif.); Lowe; Nikki Nemitz (St. Clair Shores, Mich.); Melissa Roth (Long Beach, Calif.); Katie Schroeder (Yorba Linda, Calif.); Angela Tincher (Eagle Rock, Va.); Maggie Viefhaus (Pacific, Mo.); Tammy Williams (Roscoe, Mo.).