"Owensville’s
Westminster Connection"
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First
cousins Mike and Nathan Linhardt are among 14 Owensville High School graduates
attending Fulton’s two colleges who are receiving financial assistance
for their education by participating in intercollegiate athletics.
Mike, 23, a senior, and Nathan, 20, a sophomore, are both starting defensive backs for the Westminster College Blue Jays football team. Mike is a 4-year starter and co-captain. They share an off-campus duplex with teammate Brian Jahnsen, a junior starting defensive back, and basketball player Matt Leach, a sophomore.
“We love the Owensville kids,”said Patrick Kirby, Westminster’s dean of enrollment and student services. “They are all great kids.”
The 75 members of Westminster’s football team account for 10 percent of the college’s enrollment of 750, said Kirby. He noted many of those would not attend such an expensive school without the chance to compete in college athletics.Tuition is $15,360 per year. Kirby said the tuition paid by football players brings in approximately $1.2 million in gross revenue annually.
Athletes, on average, receive approximately 40 to 50 percent of their tuition paid for by playing athletics either through academic and leadership awards or by participating in a work/study program. Nathan works in the campus weight-training facility.
“Great kids,” said Westminster head football coach John Welty about the Linhardt cousins. “All three of the Owensville kids. They come from great Christian families. Their parents are very supportive of their kids and it shows. Their parents have done a great job raising them.”
Nathan also said playing football was an important reason for attending Westminster. Both of the cousins have made a strong impact on the team which entered this weekend’s game with a 3-0 record.
“I wanted to play football in college and Westminster gave me that chase,” said Mike who will graduate with a business degree in December.
“Mike has done a great job (as captain),” said Mike Dailey, the team’s defensive coordinator. “Mike’s the kind of guy everyone watches what he does and mimics what he does. Mike’s a great guy. He never yells at anybody. He leads by example.<
As for the younger Linhardt, Dailey said, “Nathan has been doing a good job for us. Nathan was backup safety for us last year but I feel he’s one on of the top 11 to 15 guys that needs to be on the field. He busts his butt and works hard and is doing a great job at corner. He really needs to be out on the field. He makes plays for us and he has heart.”
Mike, 23, a senior, and Nathan, 20, a sophomore, are both starting defensive backs for the Westminster College Blue Jays football team. Mike is a 4-year starter and co-captain. They share an off-campus duplex with teammate Brian Jahnsen, a junior starting defensive back, and basketball player Matt Leach, a sophomore.
“We love the Owensville kids,”said Patrick Kirby, Westminster’s dean of enrollment and student services. “They are all great kids.”
The 75 members of Westminster’s football team account for 10 percent of the college’s enrollment of 750, said Kirby. He noted many of those would not attend such an expensive school without the chance to compete in college athletics.Tuition is $15,360 per year. Kirby said the tuition paid by football players brings in approximately $1.2 million in gross revenue annually.
Athletes, on average, receive approximately 40 to 50 percent of their tuition paid for by playing athletics either through academic and leadership awards or by participating in a work/study program. Nathan works in the campus weight-training facility.
“Great kids,” said Westminster head football coach John Welty about the Linhardt cousins. “All three of the Owensville kids. They come from great Christian families. Their parents are very supportive of their kids and it shows. Their parents have done a great job raising them.”
Nathan also said playing football was an important reason for attending Westminster. Both of the cousins have made a strong impact on the team which entered this weekend’s game with a 3-0 record.
“I wanted to play football in college and Westminster gave me that chase,” said Mike who will graduate with a business degree in December.
“Mike has done a great job (as captain),” said Mike Dailey, the team’s defensive coordinator. “Mike’s the kind of guy everyone watches what he does and mimics what he does. Mike’s a great guy. He never yells at anybody. He leads by example.<
As for the younger Linhardt, Dailey said, “Nathan has been doing a good job for us. Nathan was backup safety for us last year but I feel he’s one on of the top 11 to 15 guys that needs to be on the field. He busts his butt and works hard and is doing a great job at corner. He really needs to be out on the field. He makes plays for us and he has heart.”