SCAD Baseball

What the H E double toothpicks are lifestyle sports?

Equestrian, tennis, golf, etc. This is a very, very expensive for PROFIT art school that caters to an elite crowd. The founder/owner was honored as one of the wealthiest women in America. When they started a basketball program, they went out an hired Cassie Russel to coach. Only to later discontinue both the womens and mens programs. They hired Luis Tiant as their first baseball coach. If you want to hire one of the best recruiters in the USA, call coach Wollenburg. Can you imagine having to sell an expensive art school to baseball players that compete in the hardest NAIA Conference in the USA (and they did compete). Right down the road was an inexpensive state college (USCB) in the same conference that offered a general studies program that appealed to a wide range of recruits. The guy is a recruiting genius marketing to "art-athletes".

Sounds like they probably need to get out of the baseball business to be honest. I have nothing against art schools or anything like that but it probably isn't the type of format education wise that brings a positive return on the effort needed.

I certainly wouldn't recommend my son go to such a school unless he has a real desire for an education that a school like SCAD could offer.

This is very sad to hear.

SCAD always puts out a very competitive ballteam and surprisingly battles with the top schools every year.

I can't believe this, but then again things in this world seem to be changing every day.

YGD

SCAD is indeed a unique institution with sparkling credentials academically. This unfortunate news affected my son and many others in their baseball future. They did promise to continue to pay the current scholarships to the players if they wish to stay and graduate, and also promised to assist any players that wished to transfer in every way possible. They actually have a strong team this year up and down the lineup with good pitching. The efforts of Coach Wollenburg and Coach Lewis have culminated into a lame-duck year that could be dramatic in many ways. They have consistently recruited quality players of high character, integrity, academic success, and baseball skill...in that order. The number one priority has always been academics. They don't redshirt and they don't stack academic money on top of athletic money. The baseball team has consistently had a high graduation rate and a GPA of 3.0+. That has not always been an easy standard to maintain. A certain player could look like the next Chipper Jones and paint like Picasso, but if he was a delinquent thug he would not become a Bee. Many recruits fit the mold otherwise but may not be able to draw a straight line, but attend anyway and adapt their major of study and become true student/artist/athletes. They have single handedly revitalized downtown Savannah by restoring over 80 historic buildings incorporating the entire area into their 'campus'. A lot of great things have come from the vision of the founders and their commitment to a singular mission toward creative careers from their graduates. But, alas, it comes down to the money. Their enrollment is down and their tuition has gone up. $50k cost of attendance per year. One baseball scholarship could potentially be divided into 8-10 academic grants for non-athletes and they fund 12/year according to the NAIA maximum. Add the women's softball and volleyball to that total in addition to the budget for other amenities for running these teams and you are looking at several hundred more students and a few more million dollars per year. I don't like it, but I understand it. It is a reflection of this economy and how it has affected everyone. The amazing thing is how they have been able to compete operating under these restraints....and they have competed, and will do so again this year. I hope they win their conference and go on to compete nationally to make them reconsider before it's too late.

It was bittersweeet to watch the SCAD baseball team play such inspiring baseball this weekend. They played very well and started their season off 4-0 sweeping consecutive doubleheaders from Mid-Continent University out of Kentucky. They look very solid up and down the lineup and should compete in their conference again this year.

Has anyone heard where Doug wollenburg will be going after scads season ends?