Does anybody have any information on the Wofford College Baseball program in SC?
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In the heart of Spartanburg, SC, Wofford is possibly the smallest D1 school in the nation in terms of student population.
Since they moved to D1, they have been playing off-campus, but just completed building a nice new facility on campus.
They play in the Southern Conference (ranked 12th of all conferences by Baseball America) with some very tough competition (UNC-G, Western Carolina, Davidson, Elon).
Outstanding school academically. The baseball program is building. It's historically been kinda weak, but they are making strides and have a nice nucleus. Having a new facility on-campus should help their recruiting efforts.
Since they moved to D1, they have been playing off-campus, but just completed building a nice new facility on campus.
They play in the Southern Conference (ranked 12th of all conferences by Baseball America) with some very tough competition (UNC-G, Western Carolina, Davidson, Elon).
Outstanding school academically. The baseball program is building. It's historically been kinda weak, but they are making strides and have a nice nucleus. Having a new facility on-campus should help their recruiting efforts.
I'll agree with HHH -
New ballfield is indeed very nice. Beautiful campus. Great academics. The Carolina Panthers train there (owner is a Wofford alum) and so the athletic facilities are quite amazing for a school of 1,100. They are the 2nd smallest D1 school (Centenary is smaller), though smallest to play 1-AA football (made it to 1-AA semis last fall).
Academic standards, tuition, and not having full allotment of scholarships makes it challenging for baseball in the SoCon. I do believe they are going in a very positive direction.
In the interest of full disclosure, I am biased, our son signed there in the fall. If you'd like more details, send me a private topic.
-jda
New ballfield is indeed very nice. Beautiful campus. Great academics. The Carolina Panthers train there (owner is a Wofford alum) and so the athletic facilities are quite amazing for a school of 1,100. They are the 2nd smallest D1 school (Centenary is smaller), though smallest to play 1-AA football (made it to 1-AA semis last fall).
Academic standards, tuition, and not having full allotment of scholarships makes it challenging for baseball in the SoCon. I do believe they are going in a very positive direction.
In the interest of full disclosure, I am biased, our son signed there in the fall. If you'd like more details, send me a private topic.
-jda
My son is a freshman at Wofford and loves it. Head coach is young, energetic and innovative. He has recruited two very good classes and is building the program. They play in a very good Southern Conference which is ranked 8th overall in the nation as a baseball conference by WarrenNolan.com. Wofford won the conference championship in 2007. Brandon Waring was drafted in the 7th round off that team, proving if you have talent the scouts will find you. Out of conference they play Clemson, South Carolina, Georgia, Duke and NC State among others. Academics come first at Wofford and all classes are taught by professors. Because of this, 90% of Wofford students are accepted to their first choice graduate school.
Their athletic facilities are very nice and the baseball stadium sits right in the middle of campus and is a beautiful setting. The students who attend Wofford are a first class bunch - very friendly and motivated. The faculty and administration are like family and extremely invested in the success of their students. The campus is beautiful and qualifies as an arboretum. In short, Wofford is a hidden jewel any student athlete should consider. They are delivering on their promise of an experience that will last a lifetime.
Their athletic facilities are very nice and the baseball stadium sits right in the middle of campus and is a beautiful setting. The students who attend Wofford are a first class bunch - very friendly and motivated. The faculty and administration are like family and extremely invested in the success of their students. The campus is beautiful and qualifies as an arboretum. In short, Wofford is a hidden jewel any student athlete should consider. They are delivering on their promise of an experience that will last a lifetime.
Oh, and I forgot to mention - the Terrier logo (see left) and gear they wear is pretty cool looking. They use DeMarini bats and Adidas gear.
Natural
I hope you can make it to some games this season (kinda expensive traveling from Texas to SC).
Wofford travels to us (Elon) this year. If you are planning on making the trip, would love to meet ya.
I hope you can make it to some games this season (kinda expensive traveling from Texas to SC).
Wofford travels to us (Elon) this year. If you are planning on making the trip, would love to meet ya.
HHH - we will be there and I always enjoy meeting HSBBwebsters! Looking forward to seeing the Elon campus, I hear it is beautiful as well. Actually, American flies directly into Greenville-Spartanburg (for the Elon series - Charlotte) and the roundtrip fare is not bad. We plan to spend a good part of our spring traveling the Southern Conference. Can't wait - 40 days to go!
Wofford has an outstanding young coach -- Todd Interdonato -- who learned from the very best back in Scottsdale AZ. And they have signed some very talented young players. The school is top-level. A great place overall.
Certainly the charms of the southern girls would be nice for the boys!
Wofford is a school I tried to get my son interested in, but he was dead-set already on the place he ended up, so......... But my HS sophomore son will be 'guided' to check it out for sure. It looks like a lovely place.
Wofford is a school I tried to get my son interested in, but he was dead-set already on the place he ended up, so......... But my HS sophomore son will be 'guided' to check it out for sure. It looks like a lovely place.
jemaz - you are right about Coach I - he is a great young coach with a bright future and he believes Wofford is a "hidden jewel" where he can build a program. Incidentally, they play a DH with VA Tech on opening weekend.
Krak... I have followed your son's career on these boards for months and I know he landed in a great place at Trinity (although we would have loved to have him at Wofford). You are right about the southern girls... my son has found himself a nice Charleston gal already!
Krak... I have followed your son's career on these boards for months and I know he landed in a great place at Trinity (although we would have loved to have him at Wofford). You are right about the southern girls... my son has found himself a nice Charleston gal already!
Yes, we are all very happy with his final selection! He is very happy there, and we're super excited to follow the team through this coming season!
...and don't forget The Beacon...best burgers in America!
Double cheeseburger "a plenty", sweet tea, "CAAALLLL IT". The Beacon, may not have the best burgers but it is certainly one of the best eating experiences.
I love the new guy's screen name.
Wofford is a great school located two blocks from downtown Spartanburg,SC. It's academic reputation is tops on nearly any list you can find. It currently has 1450 students. Most of them live on campus. The makeup is about 50/50 boys to girls. Converse College(all girls) is a block away. Spartanburg Methodist and USC-Upstate are a few miles west and north of campus, so Spartanburg is sort of a college town.
Wofford is a place where the faculty has been around and stays around for years. Its staff and administration are like family. It is truely a "lifechanging" place to attend school. The friendships made there last a lifetime. I graduated from there and my son has taken classes from professors that taught there in the early 80s when I attended.
As for the baseball program, Natural is right on the money. A big plus is that there are 25-30 kids on the team. No stockpiling of players. everyone, especially the pitchers, have a chance to contribute from day 1 in the program. A top notch freshman pitcher could become a starter. What else could you ask for as a player.
As for the competition in the Southern Conference, it is stiff, but again that gives aplayer a chance to be noticed early.
These are basically the two classes the current coach has recruited, they are the freshmen and sophomores . I understand there are a few pretty good players coming in next year also.
The program, in my opinion, is on the way up. I am also biased since I have a freshman on the team.
The team will only lose two pitchers from this years team and possibly the ss. They will get two pitchers back from Tommy John next season so this team really has a shot to make noise in the conference in the next 3-4 years. this season might be a little rough due to the number of freshman and sophmores that will be contributing from day one.
Remember that an education should be first on the list, with the baseball career second. Wofford will give you the education you need. Grad school would also be fairly easy to get into with this degree.
Wofford is a place where the faculty has been around and stays around for years. Its staff and administration are like family. It is truely a "lifechanging" place to attend school. The friendships made there last a lifetime. I graduated from there and my son has taken classes from professors that taught there in the early 80s when I attended.
As for the baseball program, Natural is right on the money. A big plus is that there are 25-30 kids on the team. No stockpiling of players. everyone, especially the pitchers, have a chance to contribute from day 1 in the program. A top notch freshman pitcher could become a starter. What else could you ask for as a player.
As for the competition in the Southern Conference, it is stiff, but again that gives aplayer a chance to be noticed early.
These are basically the two classes the current coach has recruited, they are the freshmen and sophomores . I understand there are a few pretty good players coming in next year also.
The program, in my opinion, is on the way up. I am also biased since I have a freshman on the team.
The team will only lose two pitchers from this years team and possibly the ss. They will get two pitchers back from Tommy John next season so this team really has a shot to make noise in the conference in the next 3-4 years. this season might be a little rough due to the number of freshman and sophmores that will be contributing from day one.
Remember that an education should be first on the list, with the baseball career second. Wofford will give you the education you need. Grad school would also be fairly easy to get into with this degree.
quote:Originally posted by SHSDAD25:
Spartanburg Methodist and USC-Upstate are a few miles west and north of campus, so Spartanburg is sort of a college town.
FYI, Spartanburg Methodist is the preseason 10th ranked Div.1 JUCO in the country. That's pretty lofty!
I've looked into Wofford a little bit. Like said before, they look like an up and comping program.
My how time flies! Prior to Natural resurrecting this thread a couple weeks ago, I was the last to post to it almost five years ago.
So now looking back instead of looking forward here are a couple comments, mostly echoing what others have just written:
Our son had a great experience, both academically and baseball-wise. The atmosphere on campus there is very unique.
Great bunch of guys on the team, and more importantly (as a parent!), great parents to spend your weekends with. I am going to miss the friends we made.
The Beacon, while charming, I think is overrated.
I said five years ago I thought the program was heading in a positive direction and I still believe that. It's going to be a long road, it's not like basketball where one or two guys can turn around a program in a year. The biggest issue is the limited number of scholarships (though the new NCAA scholarship rules should help). The academic requirements are among the toughest in the conference, tuition is not cheap, and the SoCon is a very, very competitive baseball conference.
-jda
So now looking back instead of looking forward here are a couple comments, mostly echoing what others have just written:
Our son had a great experience, both academically and baseball-wise. The atmosphere on campus there is very unique.
Great bunch of guys on the team, and more importantly (as a parent!), great parents to spend your weekends with. I am going to miss the friends we made.
The Beacon, while charming, I think is overrated.
I said five years ago I thought the program was heading in a positive direction and I still believe that. It's going to be a long road, it's not like basketball where one or two guys can turn around a program in a year. The biggest issue is the limited number of scholarships (though the new NCAA scholarship rules should help). The academic requirements are among the toughest in the conference, tuition is not cheap, and the SoCon is a very, very competitive baseball conference.
-jda
jda... nice to hear that Wofford looks as good to you and your son looking backwards now, as it did looking forward five years ago. If you are ever around for a ballgame feel free to look me up and introduce yourself. Incidentally, Wofford plays NC State in Raleigh and Duke in Durham this season. Hope to meet you sometime.
