University of Connecticut Athletics
BSB Feature: Pro Players Come Back and Earn Degrees
12/14/2018 8:58:00 AM | Baseball
The UConn baseball program has had enormous success sending players to the pro ranks with 47 Huskies signing pro contracts after 15 seasons under head coach Jim Penders. For many, the chance to play pro ball is a childhood dream that players have chased since their Little League days.
With that in mind, many student-athletes choose to leave campus early to enter the draft to pursue their professional career instead of remaining at school and completing their degree.
However, a long list of players that left without attaining a degree have diligently found time to eventually come back and complete the program's first pillar, graduation.
Willy Yahn ('17) and John Russell ('17) are two former players spending the offseason in Storrs to finish their educations.
Yahn is working toward the completion of his journalism degree while Russell is finishing up a degree in civil engineering. Yahn is expected to finish in December by taking four classes this fall. Russell has a heavy workload with six classes this semester and then needs another 12 credits before earning his.
The idea of coming back to school to get your diploma is ingrained in the minds of the student-athletes from their head coach Jim Penders and academic counselor Alana Butler.
"Coach is always talking about the importance of education," said Russell. "The opportunities and doors that open up to you when you are able to complete your degree are infinitely more and you see it with all the guys that have come back."
Pierre LePage, John Andreoli, Mike Tarsi, Erik Turgeon, Dusty Odenbach, Jeff Fulchino, Scott Oberg, Harold Brantley Jr. and Kevin Vance have all earned their degrees since signing pro contracts.
"Coach Penders emphasizes on day one of the recruiting process, day one of each academic year, and throughout each student-athlete's collegiate career, the first goal of the program is to earn your degree, said Butler. "Seeing the men who have pursued professional baseball opportunities commit to come back and graduate from UConn exemplifies the expectations of the program and truly epitomizes what it means to be a Husky."
Currently, Yahn and Russell and playing professional baseball within the Baltimore Orioles and the San Franscisco Giants organizations. Yahn finished last season with the Class A Aberdeen IronBirds while Russell closed the year with the Class A San Jose Giants. Both had stellar seasons but know that everything can change quickly and need to be prepared for life after baseball.
"You never know what's going to happen in the world of baseball," said Yahn. "There could be an injury, your play could drop, you really never know. I wanted to make sure that I had that backup plan and I had my degree."
While the players are back on campus to resume classes, they both are in a unique position to advise former teammates and current Huskies on the importance of academics.
"At some point, somebody is going to take baseball from you," said Russell. "We're fortunate enough that it hasn't happened to us yet, but at some point someone will take it from us and I just want them to know to enjoy every second of it, but to also get their studies in order because that will set you up in the long run."
"It will mean a lot to finally get that diploma," said Yahn. "Not only the excitement I will have for accomplishing it, but also I know it will be a proud moment for the family."
There is a level of maturation needed to acknowledge the fact that receiving a college degree is essential. Yahn and Russell are putting school first and doing all they can to set themselves up for life after baseball.
