العربية
中国
Français
Deutsch
Ελληνική
हिन्दी
Italiano
日本語
Português
Русский
EspañolKENTUCKY WESLEYAN COLLEGE
'Kentucky Wesleyan College' is a private Methodist college in Owensboro, Kentucky. Kentucky Wesleyan College is known for its liberal arts programs. Spring 2007 enrollment was 859 students.[1]
Athletically, Kentucky Wesleyan College is a NCAA Division II school, nicknamed the ''Panthers'', that is part of the Great Lakes Valley Conference.
History
Kentucky Wesleyan College was founded in 1858 by the Kentucky Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. It was originally located in Millersburg. Classes began in 1866 and the first commencement took place in 1868. At first, it was a training school for preachers but soon business classes and liberal arts classes were soon added to the curriculum. In 1890 the school was moved to Winchester and soon after women began to be admitted to the school for the first time. In 1951 the school moved to its present location in Kentucky's third largest city Owensboro.
Presidents of Kentucky Wesleyan College (modern era)
★ Rev. Paul Shell Powell, 1937 - 1950
★ John F. Baggett, 1950 - 1951
★ Dr. Oscar W. Lever, 1951 - 1959
★ Dr. Harold P. Hamilton, 1959 - 1970
★ Dr. William James, 1971 - 1980
★ Dr. Luther Wesley White III, 1980 - 1988
★ Dr. Paul Wayne Hartman, 1988 - 1993
★ Dr. Ray Purdom (Acting President) 1993 - 1994
★ Dr. Wesley H. Poling, 1994 - 2003
★ Dr. Anne Cairns Federlein, 2003-
Academics
Academics at Kentucky Wesleyan are divided into three academic divisions: Humanities and Fine Arts; Social Sciences; and Natural Sciences.
Athletics
Kentucky Wesleyan has a long athletic history, and currently has men's teams competing in baseball, basketball, football, golf, cross country and soccer, and women's teams competing in basketball, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, cross country and volleyball.
Basketball
The KWC men's basketball team has been a powerhouse in NCAA Division II competition for decades. The Panthers advanced to the Division II championship game six consecutive years (1998-2003), winning in 1999 and 2001. In addition to these most recent successes, they also won six other championships (1966, 1968, 1969, 1973, 1987, and 1990) and were runners-up in 1957. Overall, Kentucky Wesleyan has won eight NCAA Division II National Men's Basketball Championships, which is the most by any NCAA Division II School. Two Kentucky Wesleyan basketball players have played in the National Basketball Association. Sam Smith played two seasons in the NBA for the Milwaukee Bucks (1978-1979) and the Chicago Bulls (1979-1980). Corey Crowder played two seasons in the NBA for the Utah Jazz (1991-1992) and the San Antonio Spurs (1994-1995). Crowder was a key member of the 1990 NCAA Division II National Championship team which helped get him elected to the Great Lakes Valley Conference Hall of Fame in 2002. Kentucky Wesleyan is a member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference and its' basketball team frequently represents that conference in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight. Currently, however, they are on probation.
Football
Kentucky Wesleyan has a football team, which competes in the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Football Conference . The Kentucky Wesleyan College football Panthers joined the conference prior to the 2006 football season. Steele Stadium (Bullet Wilson Field) located on Kentucky Wesleyan's campus is the home of the Kentucky Wesleyan Panther football team. From 1983 to 2003 the Kentucky Wesleyan Football team played their home games at Owensboro area high schools. In 2004, the Panthers began playing their home football games at Bullet Wilson Field, an on campus field completed prior to the 2004 football season. The playing suface at Bullet Wilson Field features field turf, an artifical playing surface. The stadium around the field underwent a major upgrade project following the 2006 season. When the upgrade was completed the home of the Panthers football team was to be known as Steele Stadium (Bullet Wilson Field).
After a 53 year absence, Football returned to Kentucky Wesleyan in 1983. The college's decision to re-establish its' football program was announced in December 1982. KWC dropped the football program in 1931 due to financial reasons after having a team from 1907-1930. KWC has had three winning seasons since football returned in 1983 (1993 6-4, 1997 6-4, 1999 7-4). KWC was the 1999 National Champion Runner-Up in NCAA Division II Non-Scholarship.
Football Tradition
Kentucky Wesleyan is involved in a traveling trophy series with Union College (Kentucky). When the two schools meet in football, the winner of game receives the John Wesley Trophy, the trophy was introduced to the series in 1985. The John Wesley trophy was named after Methodism founder John Wesley, Wesley was chosen because both Kentucky Wesleyan College and Union College are Methodist affiliated colleges. The KWC Football Program currently has possession of the John Wesley Trophy, earning it by defeating Union 16-14 at Bullet Wilson Field during the 2004 season.
Football History 1983-2006
Billy Mitchell was hired in 1983 as Kentucky Wesleyan's first modern day head football coach. From 1983 to 1989, Mitchell guided the Panthers to a win-loss record of 22-41-3. The 1983 KWC Panthers then a member of NCAA Division III football finished 3-5 in KWC's return to the gridiron. During the inaugural season, punter Steve Wolf (1983-1987) averaged 40.40 yards per punt, which set the school's current single season record. Mitchell's 1984 Panthers finished 3-6-1 and his 1985 team finished 2-6-1. Mitchell's 1986 Panthers finished 4-6. The 1986 Team still holds the school's single season rushing yards record (2,186 yards) and rushing yards per game record (218.3 ypg). The 1987 Panthers finished 3-6. Mitchell's 1988 KWC Football Team finished 4-6, which included the school's first victories over Campbellsville University 41-6 and Depauw University 20-19, The 1989 Panthers , led by Coach Mitchell in his final season, finished 3-6-1. Mitchell's '89 team set the school's current single season records for rushing attempts (510) and rushing touchdowns (22). Mitchell helped build Kentucky Wesleyan's football program from 1983 to 1989 ,but he failed to have a winning season during his tenure at KWC.
Randy Awrey, a 1978 Northern Michigan University graduate, became KWC's second modern day head football coach prior to the 1990 season. Before coming to KWC, Awrey was the Defensive Coordinator from 1986-1989 at NCAA Division III St. Lawrence University. From 1990 to 1993 Awrey led the Panther football team to an overall record of 12-28. Awrey went 0-10 in his inaugural 1990 season. The 0-10 1990 team set the current school record for punt attempts by punting 81 times. Awrey's 1991 Panhers finished the season with a win-loss record of 2-8. Following a 2-8 season, Randy Awrey's 1992 KWC Football Team Finished 4-6. During the '92 season, the Kentucky Wesleyan defense set current school records for interception returns for touchdowns (3) and interception return yards (294). Prior to the 1993 football season, KWC moved from NCAA Division III football into NCAA Division II. In Awrey's final season he led the 1993 KWC football team to a 6-4 record for Kentucky Wesleyan's first winning football season. Awrey's 1993 team set the schools current single season records for passing completion percentage (55.7%) and defensive pass interceptions (21). In 1993, KWC Quarterback Brent Holsclaw (1991-1993) set the school's single season pass completion record with 207 completions. Holsclaw's 1993 55.8% passing completion percentage is also the single season school record. Also in 1993, Panther Defensive Back Troy Crissman (1993-1996) intercepted 9 passes which is the current KWC single season record. During the 1993 season, Troy Crissman's 9 interceptions led all NCAA Division II football players.
Prior to the 1994 football season John Johnson, a 1984 Northern Michigan University graduate and former 3 year Green Bay Packers assistant coach, was hired as the third modern day Head Football Coach at Kentucky Wesleyan College. From 1994 to 2002, Johnson's overall record at NCAA Division II Kentucky Wesleyan was 34-58. During Johnson's tenure, Johnson's overall record against NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, and NAIA teams was a winning record of 34-32. Johnson's 34 wins are the most by any Kentucky Wesleyan Football Coach. During Johnson's tenure KWC played against NCAA Division I-AA competition 26 times. Johnson had two winning seasons as KWC's Head Football Coach, 6-4 in 1997 and 7-4 in 1999. During Johnson's first two seasons he guided the 1994 and 1995 Panthers to 5-5 records. During the 1995 season, Wide Receiver Sedrick Robinson (1993-1996) set single season records for pass receiving yards (1,105), touchdown receptions (17), total points scored (116), and touchdowns scored (17). In 1996 the Panthers finished 3-8 despite having WR Sedrick Robinson catch a single season record 68 passes. Following a 3-8 season, the 1997 Kentucky Wesleyan Football Team opened its' season at the University of South Florida in Tampa Stadium. Tampa Stadium was the home the the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1976-1997. The game was the University of South Florida's inaugural football game. The Panthers played in front front of a University of South Florida (home game attendance) and Kentucky Wesleyan College (road game attendance) record crowd of 49,212. The '97 Panthers lost their season opener to the University of South Florida 80-3, but the Panthers finished the the 1997 season with a winning record of 6-4. The 1997 6-4 season, gave John Johnson his first winning season as KWC's Head Football Coach. The 1998 Panthers finished the '98 season with a 2-7 record. The '98 team earned its' two victories by going on the road and defeating Concordia University, St. Paul 24-7 and by winning the '98 KWC Homecoming Game 45-22 over Quincy University . Johnson's 1999 KWC football team won the most games in a single season in school history (7 wins). The 1999 team started the season 5-0 and rose to #1 in the NCAA Division II Non-Scholarship Poll by Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette on October 17,1999. The 1999 team started the season with 5 consective victories (20-14 at Eureka College , 48-15 versus Bethel College (Tennessee), 30-24 at Thomas More College , 51-35 at Westminster College, and 35-7 at Gannon University ). The 5-0 start in '99 tied a school record for consecutive victories. The '99 Panthers finished 7-4 overall, with 3 of those losses being to NCAA Division I-AA schools. The 1999 Panther Football Team finished the season as the #2 ranked team in NCAA Division II Non-Scholarship by Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette. The 1999 team set school records for total offense (4,521 yards), touchdowns scored (73), tackles for loss (111), and for points scored (333). The '99 Panthers Finished 21st in NCAA Division II Football for Total Offense. Head Coach John Johnson was named the 1999 NCAA Division II Non-Scholarship National Coach of the Year by Don's Hansen's Football Gazette for guiding the Pathers to the most successful football season in school history. Linebacker Nick Boling (1997-2001) led the '99 Panthers with 88 tackles and was named the 1999 NCAA Division II Non-Scholarship Linebacker of the Year by Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette. During the 1999 season, quarterback J.D. Meyers (1996-1999) threw for 25 touchdown passes. Meyers' 25 touchdown passes tied Eric Stockton's (1994-1995) single season school record for touchdown passes. DT Karl Bates (1997-1999), LB Nick Boling, and Punt Retuner Antonio Newton (1998-1999) were named NCAA Division II Mid-Major 1st Team All-Americans by Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette (Quarterback J.D. Meyers and Wide Receiver Corey Jordan were selected as Honorable Mentions). The 2000 Kentucky Wesleyan Football Team finished 4-6 while setting KWC single season offensive records for pass completions (234), passing yards (3,035), passing touchdowns (27), passing yards per game (303.5), receiving yards (3,035), pass receptions (234), and receiving touchdowns (27). The 2000 Panthers Finished 10th in NCAA Division II Football for Total Offense (434.4 yards per game). Wide Receiver Corey Jordan (1997-2001) was named the 2000 NCAA Division II Non-Scholarship National Receiver of the Year by Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette. Jordan earned the honor by finishing the 2000 football season with 63 receptions for 890 yards and 13 touchdown receptions. During the 2000 season KWC Running Back Drew Hall (1999-2000) scored 12 rushing touchdowns which set the school's current single season rushing touchdowns record. Hall also averaged 101.2 rushing yards per game during 2000, which is also the school's current single sesason record. Quarterback Brian Hoffman (2000) set the school's single season record for passing yards by passing for 2,565 yards during the 2000 season. Hoffman's 2000 season average of 256.5 passing yards per game set the single season record. The 2001 Panthers finished their season 1-9 by picking up a victory 35-28 at Quincy University. Following the 2001 season, WR Corey Jordan, LB Vince Brodt (2000-2003),and LB Frank Wintrich (1999-2001), were named NCAA Division II Mid-Major 1st Team All-Americans by Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette. KWC Head Coach John Johnson's 2002 Panthers finished 1-10, while setting the schools current single season record for first downs (237). The lone win in 2002 was a season ending 37-17 victory over Bethel College (Tennessee) on KWC Football Senior Day. Following the 2002 season, Panther Defensive Tackle Tommy Oglesby (1999-2002) was chosen as a first team defensive tackle on the 2002 All-Alliance Team by the NCAA Division II Independent Football Alliance. Also following the 2002 season, Offensive Lineman Jake Colson (1998-2002) was selected as a NCAA Division II Mid-Major 1st Team All-American by Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette. Following consecutive one win seasons, John Johnson's tenure at Kentucky Wesleyan ended Jan 1st 2003.
Three of John Johnson's former Kentucky Wesleyan Football players have played in the Arena Football League(AFL). Former KWC Wide Receiver Anthony Payton (1994-19966) played four seasons in the AFL for New Jersey RedDogs (2000 and 2001), Buffalo Destoyers (2003), and Las Vegas Gladiators (2005). Panther standout Defensive Lineman Karl Bates (1997-1999) played seven seasons in the AFL for the Houston Thunderbears (2000 and 2001), New Jersey Gladiators (2002), Las Vegas Gladiators (2003), Detroit Fury (2004), Las Vegas Gladiators (2005), and San Jose SaberCats(2006). Panther Wide Receiver Sedrick Robinson (1993-1996) has played seven years in the AFL for the Houston Thunderbears (2001), New Jersey Gladiators (2002), Las Vegas Gladiators (2003), Columbus Destroyers (2004 and 2005), and Austin Wraglers (2006 and 2007).
Current Head Coach (2007) Brent Holsclaw, a former Kentucky Wesleyan Quarterback, was hired as the fourth modern day Kentucky Wesleyan Head Football Coach in January 2002. Coming into the 2007 football season, Holsclaw's overall record at Kentucky Wesleyan is 8-34. In Holsclaw's first season as KWC's Head Football Coach, Holscalw's 2003 Panthers finished 1-9. The 2003 team defated Webber International University at home 33-30 in overtime for their lone win. Holsclaw's best season to date, came in 2004 when the Panthers finished 4-7 overall as first year members of the NAIA Mid-South Conference. The Panthers were members of the NAIA Mid-South Conference in 2004 and 2005. During the 2004 season, Holsclaw's Panthers upset Campbellsville University 28-24. Prior to the 28-24 loss, Campbellsville was ranked #21 in the NAIA football top 25. The 2004 Panthers also defeated Cumberland University 17-9 on the road, beat Union College 16-13 at Bullet Wilson Field, and won the seaon finale versus Belhaven 17-14 at Bullet Wilson Field. The 2004 Panthers set the school's single season records for total tackles (632.5) and tackles for loss (113.5) The 2005 Panthers in their second season in the NAIA Mid-South Conference finished the 2005 season with an overall win-loss record of 3-7. In 2005, KWC Running Back Letiz Arnold gained 839 rushing yards on 149 carries. Arnold's 839 rushing yards broke Antonio Newton's (1998-1999) 1998 single season school record of 820 rushing yards. Arnolds 149 carries also set the school's single season record. Prior to the 2006 season, Kentucky Wesleyan left the NAIA and returned to NCAA Division II. KWC also became a charter member of the Great Lakes Football Conference. The 2006 Panthers finished 0-11, the eleven losses were the most in school history.
Football Career Leaders
Former KWC Running Back Jeremy Sleet (1994-1997) is the school's all-time rushing leader with 1,853 career rushing yards. Sleet is also the schools career leader in rushing attmepts (363). Running Back Bobby Ratcliff (1991-94) is the career rushing touchdowns leader (23). Quarterback J.D. Meyers (1996-1999) is the school's all-time leader in pass attemps (1,033), pass completions (519), passing yards (7,440), and passing touchdowns (64). Former UConn and KWC Quarterback Brian Hoffman (2000) is KWC's career leader in passing percentage (54.1%) Wide Receiver Sedrick Robinson (1993-1996) is the KWC football career leader in receiving yards (3,328), receptions (191), touchdown receptions (42), all purpose yards (5,601), total points scored (298), touchdowns scored (46), kick return yards (1772), and kick return touchdowns (2). Defensive Back Ryan Davis (1991-1994) is the school's career leader in interceptions (21) and interception return yards (298). Linebacker Brian Sieder (1994-1997) is the career leader in tackles (347). Defensive End Tony Black (1999-2002) is the KWC football career leader in quarterback sacks (16.0). Kicker Shawn Payne holds the career field goals made record with 22 field goals made from 2001-2004. Punter Steve Wolf (1983-1986) is Kentucky Wesleyan's All-Time Leading Punter in punting yards (7,401) , punting attempts (193) and average yards per punt (38.35)
Kentucky Wesleyan's Great Lakes Valley Championship teams
Kentucky Wesleyan College Athletic Teams have won seventeen (17) Great Lakes Valley Conference Championships. The Kentucky Wesleyan College Softball Team won three GLVC Championships in the 80's (1984, 1986, and 1989). The KWC Men's Golf Team won the Great Lakes Valley Conference in 1983. Kentucky Wesleyan's Men's Basketball Team has won 13 GLVC Championships.
Notable alumni
★ A. J. Smith - Executive Vice President and General Manager of the San Diego Chargers
★ Jody Richards - Speaker of the House, Kentucky House of Representatives
★ G. Lindsey Davis - bishop of the United Methodist Church
★ Stanley Forman Reed - former justice of the United States Supreme Court
★ Urban Valentine Williams Darlington - former bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South
★ Edward Lewis Tullis- former bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South and the United Methodist Church
★ Roy Hunter Short - former Bishop of The Methodist Church and the United Methodist Church
References
1.
External links
★ Official website of Kentucky Wesleyan College
★ KWC Football Official Site
★ GLVC Communication
This article provided by Wikipedia. To edit the contents of this article, click here for original source.
psst.. try this: add to faves
