Kenny Knox signs w/Clemson, news article

[Carolina Extreme]

Posted on April 16, 2004

Three Cavaliers decide on colleges
By Jason Gilmer | Staff Writer
jason.gilmer@shj.com

Kenny Knox just needed to see Clemson's new indoor track facilities to make up his mind.

The Dorman pole vaulter signed a national letter of intent and will be a member of the Tigers' indoor and outdoor track teams.

"Their indoor facility is incredible," he said.

Knox wasn't the only Cavalier to sign with a Division-I school on Thursday, as distance runner Ryan Jank will go to UNC Charlotte. Also signing was tight end Cameron O'Sullivan with Mars Hill.

This year Knox has vaulted a personal best at 14 feet 6 inches on two occasions at Spring Valley High School. To become such a prolific vaulter, Knox decided not to play football and spend all year focusing on his sport.

"He kind of took a distance runners approach to being a vaulter," Dorman track coach Bobby Urban said.

Knox also talked with N.C. State, The Citadel and UNC Wilmington.

Jank said he made his decision at the end of January after an official visit to UNCC.

"I like the campus and they have a tight knit group of runners, kind of like we are," Jank said.

He plans to go into engineering and said that UNCC is supposed to be one of the best colleges around for that.

Jank was named the Herald-Journal Runner of the Year in the fall after winning every race but one in which he competed.

O'Sullivan, who won the county shot put championship on Wednesday, made the tight end position a dependable receiving spot last season. He caught 14 passes for 176 yards and scored one touchdown.

He'll likely change positions and play linebacker at Mars Hill. Coach Dave Gutshall said that normally college coaches have problems taking a player for a different position when the player doesn't have any game film at that spot.

"Mars Hill has been recruiting him all year," Gutshall said. "They could see the potential in him."

Jason Gilmer can be

reached at 562-7247 or jason.gilmer@shj.com.

[Carolina Extreme]

We are very proud of Kenny. He has worked very hard to get to this position and is not just a great athlete, he is a great young man. I know God has big plans for Kenny.

Kenny's athlete profile can be found at:
http://carolinaextreme.com/Index_files/page0143.htm