By: By Al Barba
HALL OF FAME PAGE
KENNESAW, Ga. – The Kennesaw State University Department of Athletics will welcome a new class of inductees into the Owls Hall of Fame this fall.
The 1994 NAIA national championship baseball team that claimed the institution's first-ever national championship will become the first team inducted into the Hall of Fame.
The induction ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 19 at the Hilton Garden and Inn Suites in Kennesaw and will be part of Kennesaw State's 2013 Homecoming Weekend festivities. The ceremony is scheduled for 4 p.m.
The first Hall of Fame class was inducted in 2003 and there are currently 35 members.
The Kennesaw State Hall of Fame recognizes individuals for their athletic achievement as student-athletes, former student-athletes who have achieved notable professional achievement, former coaches and administrators, individuals with distinguished service to the Department of Athletics and athletic teams.
The 2014 season will mark the 20th anniversary since head coach Mike Sansing's team brought national distinction to the Kennesaw State College athletics department. The Owls won their final 17 games, including a 2-0 victory over top-ranked Southeastern Oklahoma in the title game at Sec Taylor Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa.
Left-handed pitcher Chris McKnight tossed a complete-game, three-hit shutout in the championship game, earning him a spot on the All-Tournament team. He was joined by second baseman Darrell Baggett, catcher Ryan Coe, first baseman David Armstrong and pitcher Todd Kirby. Additionally, Baggett won the Gold Glove Award while Kirby was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.
Sansing, who was named Regional and District Coach of the Year, guided the Owls to a 48-14 overall record, including a 20-8 mark in Georgia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GIAC) play. The Owls posted a .330 team batting average and were led by outfielder Fabian Herndon who batted .382.
Coe earned NAIA All-American and NAIA District Player of the Year honors after batting .369, clubbing 18 home runs and totaling a then single-season school-record 79 RBI. Third baseman Perry Shiver (.371, 11 HR, 42 RBI) earned All-American honorable mention.
Coe, Herndon, Shiver, shortstop George Edwards (.362, 37 RBI) and pitcher John Kown (9-1, 1.88 ERA) earned All-District honors. Coe and Shiver also captured All-Region selections.
McKnight finished the season with a 10-2 record and 3.15 ERA. Other key contributors included Chad Morris (10-2, 2.15 ERA), Chris Tracy (6-3, 3.59), Armstrong (.366, 34 RBI), Jerry Coffey (.313) and Steve Meyer (.279, 12 HR, 47 RBI).
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