David Rowlands Award
2011 NJCAA David Rowlands Award - Keenyn Walker
By Gage Axford, NJCAA Student Assistant
Baseball standout Keenyn Walker of Central Arizona College is the 2011 NJCAA David Rowlands Male Student-Athlete of the Year. The David Rowlands Award is given annually to a male NJCAA student-athlete that displays hard work, discipline, ethics and excellence in community college athletics. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound outfielder from Salt Lake City, Utah is the fifth baseball player to receive the award.
Walker helped lead the Vaqueros to the 2011 NJCAA Division I World Series Championship Game, where they came up short 6-4 via a walk-off two run home run in the 10th inning to Navarro College (Texas). This was Central Arizona College’s best performance in NJCAA DI World Series since 2002, when the Vaqueros won the National Championship.
Known for his excellent speed, Walker led all of NJCAA DI baseball in stolen bases with 70 for the season. Even further, he had the second most runs scored among the NJCAA DI ranks with 84. He had an on-base percentage of .509 and a batting average of .412 in 238 at-bats. His 98 hits ranked second in the NJCAA as was his 10 triples. He also ranked in the Top 25 nationally with 59 RBI’s. 
“His dedication to work hard and doing things right made him a very good baseball player---one that learned the importance of how to act both on and off the field,” said Central Arizona College head baseball coach Jon Wente. “He has meant so much to our baseball program both on and off the field the past two years.”
Along with earning First-Team Region 1 honors, Walker finished his final season for the Vaqueros as a NJCAA DI First-Team All-American and as the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference Player of the Year. His 1.000 fielding percentage for the season also landed him on the 2011 NJCAA Division I Rawlings Gold Glove Team.
The switch-hitter was just recently drafted as a first round compensation pick for the Chicago White Sox, who selected him 47th overall in the 2011 MLB Draft, making him the 21st highest selection straight from an NJCAA program in the history of the MLB June First-Year Player Draft. This is the third time Walker has been drafted, as the Chicago Cubs selected him in the 16th round in 2009 and the Philadelphia Phillies drafted him in the 38th round in 2010. Walker recently signed a professional contract with the White Sox and is currently playing in the Pioneer League (Advanced Rookie League) in Montana for the Great Falls Voyagers. He made his pro debut on July 10th and hit a double in his first at-bat.
ABOUT the NJCAA DAVID ROWLANDS AWARD
David Rowlands was an active member of the NJCAA from 1972 to 1988. He was a regional director during that time and from 1975 to 1988 was the chair of the NJCAA baseball committee. Rowlands, a baseball coach at Truman College (Chicago, Ill.), served on the NJCAA gymnastics, golf, executive and eligibility committees. Rowlands was the perfect model of hard work, discipline, ethics and excellence in community college athletics. This award is given annually to the NJCAA Student-Athlete that best exhibits these traits.
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NJCAA ROWLANDS AWARD RECEPIENTS
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Year
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Name
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Sport
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College; City, State
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1992-1993
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Mike Worley
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Basketball
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Coffeyville Community College; Coffeyville, Kan.
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1993-1994
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Eddie Samuel
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Basketball
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Pensacola Junior College; Pensacola, Fla.
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1994-1995
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Joe Michael Robertson
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Football
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Jones County Junior College ; Ellisville, Miss.
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1995-1996
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Doug Thompson
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Baseball
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Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College ; Perkinston, Miss.
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1996-1997
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William Gladness
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Basketball
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Carl Albert State College; Poteau, Okla.
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1997-1998
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Shawn Marion
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Basketball
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Vincennes University; Vincennes, Ind.
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1998-1999
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Anthony Evans
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Basketball
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Neosho County Community College; Chanute, Kan.
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1999-2000
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Mario Toledo
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Tennis
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Georgia Perimeter College; Dunwoody, Ga.
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2000-2001
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Marc Dunn
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Football
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Ricks College; Rexburg, Idaho
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2001-2002
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Cory Patton
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Baseball
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Seward County Community College; Liberal, Kan.
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2002-2003
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Filiberto Rivera
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Basketball
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Southeastern Community College; West Burlington, Iowa
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2003-2004
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Larry Kendrick
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Football
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Pearl River Community College ; Poplarville, Miss.
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2004-2005
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Michael Murray
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Baseball
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Meridian Community College; Meridian, Miss
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2005-2006
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Brian Flores
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Baseball
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New Mexico Junior College; Hobbs, N.M.
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2006-2007
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Cody Jamieson
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Lacrosse
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Onondaga Community College; Syracuse, N.Y.
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2007-2008
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Devron Bostick
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Basketball
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Southwestern Illinois College; Belleville , Ill.
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2008-2009
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Chris Mason
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Cross Country/
Track & Field
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SUNY – Delhi; Delhi, N.Y.
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2009-2010
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Ricardo Ratliffe
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Men’s Basketball
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College of Central Florida
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| 2010-2011 |
Keenyn Walker |
Baseball |
Central Arizona College |
