The Newton Area Chamber of Commerce Presents their 97th Annual Banquet on Thursday, September 21st
Beginning at 6:00 p.m. for Social Hour and Dinner to follow at 7:00 p.m.
Individual Reservation: $45 or $650 Corporate Table Reservation: Includes front table seating for ten, preferred service order and special recognition in the event program and Chamber ISSUE.
The Deadline to register for the Annual Banquet will be Friday, Spetember 15th at 5:00 p.m. To register, click on the "REGISTER NOW" link below or e-mail Courtney Critchfield to make your reservation at: courtney@thenewtonchamber.org
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Brent Kemnitz is in his second year as Assistant Athletic Director for Outreach and Staff Development after serving the previous 38 years as pitching coach at Wichita State for the baseball program.
In Kemnitz’s 38 years as pitching coach, honors, accomplishments and awards for pitchers under his tutelage were commonplace. Twice WSU led all NCAA Division I teams in ERA. The Shockers’ 1982 team established an NCAA record with 46 complete games while leading the nation with a 2.53 ERA and the 1991 staff led the NCAA with a 2.91 ERA. In 2011, Kemnitz was honored as he was named one of the top three pitching coaches in the country in a poll done by College Baseball Insider.
Over the years, 62 Shocker pitchers earned all-Valley honors a total of 103 times. Twelve earned Valley Pitcher-of-the-Year honors in the 28 years the award was presented, and WSU had at least one first-team all-conference pitcher every year but five in the Kemnitz era.
Ten pitchers earned Academic All-America distinction a total of 14 times under Kemnitz. Charlie Giaudrone was named the baseball Academic All-America Player-of-the-Year in 1992, while Mike Drumright was honored with that distinction in 1995. Twenty-three freshmen earned Freshman All-America status, while 83 Shocker pitchers advanced to professional baseball under Kemnitz’s care.
In March of 2003, Kemnitz was inducted into the Kansas Baseball Hall of Fame and in 2016 he was inducted into the Perry High School Hall of Fame and the Wichita Sports Hall of Fame.
Kemnitz has two daughters, Mackenzie and Madison. Academically, Kemnitz earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Phillips in 1978, and a master’s degree in sports administration from WSU in the summer of 1980.
