HobbsDailyReport.com
JENKINS
HICKORY – Catawba Valley Community College’s Chandler Jenkins has added another honor – a big one – to his baseball resume.
Jenkins, who has signed to play next season at East Carolina, has been named the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) National Player of the Year.
A West Lincoln High product, Jenkins is the first CVCC student-athlete in any sport to win a national top player award.
“It is truly an honor to receive this award,” Jenkins said in a press release from CVCC’s athletic department. “There are so many great baseball players in our division and to have been named Player of the Year is truly a blessing.
“I have to thank God, my coaches, my teammates, my family and everyone who supported me along the way.
“My time at CVCC has been the best two years of my life so far. It was a second chance for me and I can’t thank (the coaching staff) enough.”
Jenkins had already racked up these awards: First-team All-American by the NJCAA and by ABCA/Rawlings, the NJCAA All-Academic team, Region X Player of the Year and first-team All-Region X.
In Region X play, Jenkins won a Triple Crown by leading the region in batting average, home runs and RBIs. He ended up setting seven single-season offensive awards for CVCC.
On a national basis, Jenkins ranked in the top 10 in seven statistics and in the top four in four of those: 18 home runs (third nationally, CVCC record); 164 total bases (third nationally, CVCC record); 40 extra base hits (third nationally, CVCC record); .868 slugging percentage (fourth nationally, CVCC record).
Also, his 87 hits ranked No. 7 in the country and second in CVCC history, his 74 RBIs were a school record and seventh in the nation, his .460 batting average was 12th in the nation and second in CVCC history, and his .516 on-base percentage was 34th in the nation and set a CVCC record.
Jenkins originally signed to pitch at Gardner-Webb University. After he was red-shirted in 2015, he came to CVCC for his first season in 2016 and, battling an injury, got only 29 at bats (two doubles. .241 average and five RBIs).
Jenkins began the 2017 season with a 16-game hitting streak in which he had 10 multiple hit games, seven doubles and four home runs.
He will have two years of eligibility at ECU.
“Chandler is the epitome of perseverance,” CVCC head coach Paul Rozzelle said in the press release. “After battling back from an injury last season, he chose to continue to put in the work and came out this year and never stopped hitting.
“(He’s an) ultimate competitor that plays with his heart on his sleeve. This accomplishment is an indication of his work, his fight, and his resolve to accomplish his dreams.
“We as a school are so proud of him for this accomplishment. Chandler is a special young man…”
He will have two years of eligibility at ECU.
Click this link to see all of the ABCA’s Players of the Year for 2017.
http://abca.org/news/2017/2017_abca_players_of_the_year