| Chad
Wright
• OF • University of Kentucky •
Sophomore
• SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll
(2009)
• SEC Freshman of the Week (4/20/09)
Outlook
Standout outfielder was the hidden gem of the 2009
school-record recruiting class that ranked No. 4 nationally ... In a
class with five high school All-Americans, Wright stood out in his
performance as a true freshman, batting .343 as UK's steady, clutch
lead-off hitter ... Started in leftfield in 2009 for UK ... A
defensive weapon in the outfield, robbed SEC Freshman of the Year
Preston Tucker of a walk-off grandslam on the final weekend of the
year, skying the left-field fence to snag the game-winner ... Also
added a team-best four assists ... After stealing 27 bases in 60
games during the summer in the Northwoods League, is expected to be
a top-of-the-order batter for UK in 2010 ... Play in clutch,
pressure-filled situations as a true freshman earned rave reviews.
Summer
Played in the Northwoods League for the Wisconsin
Woodchucks ... Played in 60 games, batting .300 (68-for-227) with 33
runs, nine doubles, two triple, three homers, 20 RBI Drew 31
walks and struck out 29 times ... Ranked fourth in the league with
27 steals, also checking in 19th in runs (33), ninth in hits (68),
13th in walks (31), 13th in on-base percentage, with his .300
average ranking 14th-best in the Northwoods League.
2009
Had a breakout season as a true freshman starter in the
SEC, ranking second on the team with a .343 (62-for-181) average in
50 games and 47 starts ... Had eight doubles, one triple, four
homers and 23 RBI, drawing 19 walks and striking out 34 times,
stealing 13-of-15 bases ... Led the team with four outfield assists
... Played in all 30 SEC games for UK, batting .336 (37-for-110)
with 25 runs scored, five doubles, two homers, 10 RBI, 16 walks, 22
strikeouts, stealing 7-of-9 bases ... Led UK with a .357 (25-for-70)
average in 18 games played on the road ... Batted .373 (38-for-102)
in 29 day games and .304 (24-for-79) in 21 night games ... In UK's
last 15 games in SEC play, while fighting for a postseason berth,
hit .369 (24-for-65) with five doubles, two homers, 10 RBI, nine
walks, eight strikeouts and 5-of-6 stolen bases ... In UK's final 20
games overall, hit .381 (32-for-84) with 23 runs, five doubles, one
triple, three homers, 14 RBI and six steals ... Made a move to the
lead-off spot in the order late in the year with great success,
batting .375 (33-for-88) in 21 games as the No. 1 hitter, adding 23
runs scored, five doubles, one triple, three homers, 14 RBI and six
steals ... Had a team-high eight bunt singles ... Got first career
start against James Madison in the Caravelle Resort Invitational ...
Went 3-for-4 with a double a steal and four RBI as the designated
hitter in his first start at Cliff Hagan Stadium against Western
Michigan ... Followed that game with a four-RBI outing against
Eastern Kentucky, belting his first career home run, a three-run
homer ... Had back-to-back three-hit games against Indiana State and
Georgetown College ... Had three consecutive two-hit games against
Vanderbilt and West Virginia ... Went 2-for-2 with two walks and two
stolen bases against Vanderbilt ... Had a breakout performance at
Louisville, going 3-for-5 with two runs, two RBI a triple and a
homer ... Scored five runs in a 4-for-5 outing against Mississippi
State, with two doubles, two walks and one steal in the series
finale ... Was named SEC Freshman of the Week for the three-game
series with MSU and the win at Louisville, reaching base
safely in 18-of-24 plate appearances, batting .550 (11-for-20) with
10 runs, two doubles, one triple, one homer and three RBI ... In
UK's last game of the year at Florida, needing a win to clinch a
postseason berth, went 4-for-5 with three runs, two doubles, two
RBI, a walk and a solo home run ... Homer at UF came in the top of
the ninth with UK trailing, a no-doubt jack hit off Florida closer
Billy Bullock.
High School
First-team All-State selection and brother of former UK
outfielder Brock Wright ...Two-time All-State honoree, earning the
distinction as a junior ... Hit .418 with 51 runs, 15 doubles, five
homers and 34 RBI, stealing 32 bases as a senior ... Batted .472
with five doubles, nine home runs, 32 RBI, and a school-record 60
stolen bases ... As a sophomore, hit .412 with 46 runs, eight
doubles, three homers, 34 RBI and 41 stolen bags ... Owns school
records for single-season stolen bases, career triples, and career
stolen bases ... Led team to the regional championship in three of
four years, including a state championship appearance in 2007 ...
Five-year letterwinner, coached by Jimmy Long ... A pure athlete,
owns football school records for career rushing yards (5,813) and
single-game rushing yards (357) ... Was a first-team All-Western
Kentucky selection as a football player junior and senior years ...
Member of the National Honor Society and honor graduate.
Personal
Full name is Chad Everett Wright ... Born July 27, 1989 in
Paducah, Ky. ... Son of Greg and Trina Wright ... Brothers Bryce
(15) and Brock (23), a former outfielder at UK ...Brock hit . 242
(15-for-62) in 30 games and 15 starts as a freshman outfielder in
2007, totaling five homers and 15 RBI, drawing 19 walks and stealing
5-of-6 bases ... Brock had a solo home run during Super Bulldog
Weekend at Mississippi State in 2007, with the Bulldogs advancing to
the College World Series that season.
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