July 21, 2003

FURMAN ALUMNUS DANA JENKINS TABBED AS COACH OF SOFTBALL PROGRAM

GREENVILLE, South Carolina ­ Furman athletics director Gary Clark on Monday announced the hiring of Furman alumnus Dana Jenkins as head coach of the Lady Paladin softball program.

³We are extremely excited about Coach Jenkins¹ return to Furman. She is an outstanding tactician and leader with a real understanding of Furman University,² said Clark.

Jenkins, a Sugar Hill, Ga., native who most recently coached at Anderson College, becomes the seventh head coach in the 24-year history of Lady Paladin softball and the first alumnus to return as head coach of the program. A four-year starter at shortstop and two-year team captain, Jenkins still holds the Lady Paladin record for career assists with 440, and was a member of Furman¹s 1994 and 1995 Southern Conference Championship teams.

After graduating Furman in 1996 with a health and exercise science degree, Jenkins accepted an assistant coaching position at Campbell University, where in two years she served as assistant coach, professor, interim head coach, co-head junior varsity coach, and assistant camp director. In July of 1998 Jenkins left Campbell to become the assistant coach under Aimee DeVos at UNC Charlotte, and in 2000 accepted her first head coaching position, with the NCAA Division II Lady Trojans. In three years at Anderson, Jenkins led a team that had won just 24 games the previous three years to 76 victories.

In 2003, the Anderson College softball team enjoyed its most successful season ever, setting a new school record for victories with a 32-22 record, and advancing to the finals of the Carolinas-Virginia Conference tournament.

³I am so excited about returning to Furman,² said Jenkins. ³I am thrilled to return to a team I know and have been a part of, and I look forward to jumping right in. I don¹t think I have come down off cloud nine yet.²

Jenkins, who begins her duties at Furman on August 1, replaces seven-year coach Bonnie Flynn, who announced her retirement from coaching in May. Jenkins will inherit a program that lost six players to graduation, but returns both its All-Southern Conference selections in pitcher/first baseman Meagen Johnson and outfielder LaKerah Barr.

Jenkins Head Coaching Record
2001 Anderson College 17-33, 8-14 Team received first conference tournament bid
2002 Anderson College 27-28, 10-12 Team went 3-2 in tournament
2003 Anderson College 32-22, 10-9 Team advanced to finals of tournament