Athlete – Football
The son of Philip and Mary Carter Chenault, Chris comes from a sports family history in which his sister, Jill, and brothers, Philip and Kenneth, all excelled in sports through track and football as record holders and state champions. Chris learned to play football through the parks and recreation system at Castlewood Park. During his youth, he participated in track, baseball, and football. At the former Lexington Junior High School, he caught his stride in the eighth grade to excel in both track and football and lead his teams to many wins and victories.
In 1981, Chris was a member of the Henry Clay High School KHSAA State Champion football team, ending the season with a 14-0 record. Chris was both the team captain and MVP his senior year and still holds several records today. He was a standout in track during high school, setting one of the fastest times in the state in the 100-yard-high hurdles at 14.1. Chris, along with his brother, Philip, won and set many records on the sprint relays over the course of their four-year tenure.
Chris received a full football scholarship to the University of Kentucky but had a number of offers to more than 30 colleges and universities. He chose to stay in his home town of Lexington because his mother was diagnosed with cancer. She was his biggest fan and made sure all of her children had choices and resources to go out into the world and be their best. Chris did just that and harnessed the strength his parents instilled in him to go and achieve his educational and athletic goals. His mother never made it to a football game at UK, but her spirit lived within him, which gave him the drive to be an overachiever.
Chris’s career accomplishments are well documented in the archives at the University of Kentucky and in the Southeastern Conference as well. To name a few, Chris set a UK record of 28 tackles in one game against Vanderbilt, and he is also ranked second in the SEC with 482 tackles from 1985-1988. He was the team co-captain in 1988 and is still ranked in the top 5 for All-Time SEC Defensive Player.
After graduating from UK, Chris was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals and played a few years in the NFL. He went on to become a Kentucky State Policeman and maintains a disciplined life enjoying his grandchildren and family. You can find Chris at every UK football game cooking for his fellow alumni at the K House. He welcomes you to stop by and say hello and enjoy the Wildcat atmosphere. As you can see, Chris’s community means a great deal to him.
