June 21, 2011
NORMAL, Ill. -
Illinois State left-handed closer Kenny Long has been awarded the Duffy Bass Endowed Scholarship for his efforts in the classroom and on the baseball diamond, the Illinois State Athletics Department announced Tuesday.
The Duffy Bass Endowed Scholarship is named after the former Redbirds skipper who led Illinois State to more than 700 wins and the 1969 College Division National Championship. It is given each year to a junior or senior baseball player who exhibits the spirit of Bass, who retired from coaching in 1988 and passed away in spring 2008. When ISU's baseball stadium underwent a multimillion dollar renovation completed in 2009, it was dedicated as Duffy Bass Field.
"I am honored to receive this scholarship, named after Coach Bass, for the second year in a row," Long said. "I am thankful for being recognized for the work I put in both on and off the field."
The Fox River Grove, Ill., native earned All-Missouri Valley Conference First Team honors for the second-consecutive season, after leading the 2011 Redbirds with six saves while boasting a team-low 0.92 ERA. Long also established a 4-1 record with 45 strikeouts through 39.1 innings, and he became the all-time saves leader at Illinois State with 15. The previous record was held by Jeremy Accardo, who had 12 during his Redbird career.
"Coach Bass would be very proud to be represented by Kenny Long," Illinois State head coach Mark Kingston said. "Kenny comes to the park every day with a smile on his face and a great desire to win. He is the type of throwback player that Coach Bass would love."
Along with his success on the mound, Long has earned a spot on Illinois State's AFNI Honor Roll for four semesters, and he has compiled a 3.04 cumulative grade-point average (GPA) while majoring in history. This summer, Long is once again playing in the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League for the Orleans Firebirds.
The Duffy Bass Endowed Scholarship is one of 23 endowed scholarships available to Illinois State student-athletes that are funded by private donors. To view current student-athletes who have received endowed scholarships, click here. For more information about establishing an endowed scholarship, please call the Weisbecker Scholarship Fund office at (309) 438-3803. To read about each current endowment in more detail, click here. GoRedbirds.com: Your online source for Illinois State Athletics, tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
