Peach Belt Release

KENNESAW, Ga. – Scott Whitlock, who guided Kennesaw State softball to back-to-back Division II national championships, and Jason Jones, who was a two-time All-American while a member of the baseball program, will be part of the Peach Belt Conference's (PBC) inaugural Hall of Fame class as the conference celebrates its 25th Anniversary, it was announced on Wednesday (Mar. 16).
 
Twenty-five former student-athletes, coaches and administrators will be inducted into the newly created Hall of Fame on Tuesday, May 31, at the Sonesta Resort in Hilton Head Island, S.C.
 
The inaugural class was divided into three categories: Founding Fathers, student-athletes, and coaches and administrators.  Founding Fathers were those whose efforts helped create the Peach Belt in the late 1980s and early 1990s.  Marvin Vanover, the first PBC commissioner and longtime coach and athletics director at Augusta University; Finis Horne, legendary basketball coach and athletics director at Lander University and Dr. Robert Alexander, Chancellor at USC Aiken for 17 years who guided the creation of the league, comprise this group.
 
Thirteen former student-athletes will also be inducted.  The group represents eight of the original 10 championship sports offered by the conference from eight different PBC institutions.  Nine former coaches and administrators from nine different PBC institutions will also be inducted. 
 
"I consider my selection an extreme honor and a tribute to the entire KSU Softball Family," Whitlock who currently serves as senior associate athletics director, said. "When I got the news, I immediately thought of all of the players and coaches that helped make it possible."
 
During Whitlock's time coaching in the PBC, Kennesaw State claimed back-to-back national championships, including its first season in the conference. He guided KSU to a 559-90 (.860) overall record, including a 174-24 (.879) mark during 11 seasons in the PBC as the Owls registered 10 seasons of 40 or more wins, five of 50 or more and one of 60-plus victories. 
 
"I am proud of what our program accomplished during our time in the Peach Belt," Whitlock added. "During that era, there were four teams that were regularly nationally ranked. Back then, if you could win consistently in the Peach Belt, you could go anywhere and win."
 
Jones, who was a two-way player for head coach Mike Sansing from 1996-99 while contributing as an outfielder/first baseman-pitcher, helped Kennesaw State to three NCAA Division II national championship games in four years and the 1996 national title.
 
The Marietta, Ga. native earned first-team All-American honors in 1998 and 1999 and was tabbed the 1999 Division II National Player of the Year. Jones finished his four-year career with a .372 average, 58 home runs, 234 RBIs, .669 slugging percentage and .481 on-base percentage.
 
A 13th-round draft pick by the Texas Rangers in 1999, Jones also posted a 3-1 record, 2.14 ERA and 10 saves while making 33 career relief appearances.
 
"Jason was a dominating player during his career and no greater representative of Kennesaw State as a player and as a person," Sansing said. "It's exciting to see the conference recognize his talent and the success he had because he put up some unbelievable numbers during his Peach Belt career along with going to four World Series. He had a great career and I couldn't be more proud of him and his accomplishments."

The inductees were selected by the Hall of Fame committee:
 
Clint Bryant, Athletic Director at Augusta University
Randy Warrick, Athletic Director at the University of South Carolina Aiken
Bob Stoner, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Media at Lander University
Michael Hawkins, Associate Athletic Director for Media Relations at Francis Marion University
Michael MacEachern, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Communications at Young Harris College
Christie Ward, Associate Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator at Georgia Southwestern State University
 
Click here for the complete list of the Peach Belt Conference Hall of Fame Class.
 
JASON JONES RESUME
Kennesaw State
Outfielder 1996-99
Marietta, Ga.
 
* A two-way player during four-year career as an outfield/first baseman-pitcher
* 1999 Division II National Player of the Year
* Two-time First Team All-American (1998, 1999)
* Two-time (1998, 1999) NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional Player of the Year
* Two-time (1998, 1999) NCAA Division II South Atlantic First Team All-Region
* 1997 NCAA Division II South Atlantic Second Team All-Region
* Two-time Peach Belt Conference Player of the Year
* Two-time First Team All-Peach Belt Conference
* Named to the 1998 Peach Belt Conference All-Tournament Team
* Two-Time Peach Belt Conference Player of the Week in 1999
* Helped Kennesaw State to three NCAA Division II national championship games in four years, including the 1996 national title
* During four-year career, Kennesaw State compiled a 206-50 (.804) overall record, including an 84-20 (.808) mark in Peach Belt Conference play. The Owls averaged 51.5 wins a season during his four years.
* Holds Peach Belt Conference single-season record for RBIs (103 in 1998) and total bases (206 in 1998) and tied for first in home runs (26 in 1998)
* Finished four-year KSU career with .372 career average, 58 home runs, 234 RBIs, .669 slugging percentage and .481 on-base percentage.
* 58 home runs and 234 RBI rank second all-time in Peach Belt Conference history
* Holds Kennesaw State career records for total bases (515), hits (285), home runs (58), games played (236) and RBIs (234)
* Possesses KSU single-season records for total bases (206 in in 1998), home runs (26), slugging percentage (.837 in 1999) and RBIs (103 in 1998)
* Posted a 3-1 record, 2.14 ERA and 10 saves while making 33 career relief appearances
* Registered a 3-1 record, 1.88 ERA and nine saves as a sophomore in 1997. Nine saves led the Peach Belt Conference and tie for third on KSU's single-season saves list.
* 13th-round draft pick of the Texas Rangers in 1999 and appeared in 40 games for the club in 2003
 
SCOTT WHITLOCK RESUME
Kennesaw State
Softball Head Coach
1990-2013 / 1994-2005 (Peach Belt Years)
 
* Led Kennesaw State to back-to-back NCAA Championships in 1995 and 1996
* Guided the Owls to a 559-90 (.860) overall record, including a 174-24 (.879) mark during 11 seasons as a member of the Peach Belt Conference
* Had 10 seasons of 40 or more wins, five of 50 or more and one of more than 60 victories
* Kennesaw State posted four straight undefeated conference seasons, posting a 61-0 record between 1995 and 1998
* KSU won regional crowns and advanced to the NCAA Division II championship nine times in 11 years, winning national titles in 1995 and 1996
* Kennesaw State won eight regular-season titles and six conference tournament championships
* Named Peach Belt Conference Coach of the Year five times
* Tabbed NCAA Division II National Coach of the Year in 1995
* Coached 7 Peach Belt Conference Players of the Year and 2 Freshmen of the Year
* Mentored 54 Peach Belt Conference All-Conference selections and 32 Division II All-Americans
* Named to the U.S. National Team coaching staff in 2005
* Served as chair of the Peach Belt Conference Coaches Committee
* Inducted into the National Fastpitch Coaches Hall of Fame in 2005
* Honored with induction into the Georgia Dugout Hall of Fame in 2010

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