Josh Baker, University School
Name: Josh Baker
School: University School
Grade: Senior
Soccer Honors: Four-time varsity letter winner for coach Jason Rienzi … Starting forward for the Wildcats in each of the past four seasons … Scored 54 points on 21 goals and 12 assists as a senior while leading University School to a 15-2-2 record and the title in the Northern Division of the Midwest Classic Conference … A four-time all-league performer and the Player of the Year in the conference in each of the past three seasons … A key member of University School teams that won conference titles in each of the past four seasons … Led University School to the WIAA sectional finals the past three years, losing each time to The Prairie School out of Racine.
Basketball Honors: Four-year varsity letter winner for coach Mike Snyder … A versatile 6-foot-3 forward who scored more than 1,200 points during his prep career … A three-time first-team all-league performer in the Midwest Classic North … Averaged 18.1 points per game as a senior to help the Wildcats to a 15-9 record … Scored a career-high 32 points in a loss to Milwaukee Messmer as a senior.
Baseball Honors: Four-year varsity letter winner for coach Tim Bartz … A big part of the Wildcats’ lineup as a pitcher, outfielder and first baseman … Earned Player of the Year honors in the Midwest Classic Conference as a sophomore and junior … A dominating left-handed pitcher who tossed a no-hitter this spring against Delafield St. John’s Military Academy … Recorded 16 strikeouts in a game as a junior against Shoreland Lutheran … Fastball reach 88-to-90 mph … Played a key role in helping University School capture the 2010 WIAA Division 2 state championship.
Favorite Sport: “Up until my freshmen year, my favorite sport was basketball. Once my sophomore year came around, baseball kind of stuck out in my mind. I could excel in that sport and kind of realized I had a brighter future in baseball than the other two sports.”
Best Part of High School Sports: “I think it’s that every day after school you are able to go out with some of your best friends and have fun and joke around without having school on your mind. You get to develop a great bond with some of your best friends.”
Best Advice from a High School Coach: “I’m not sure if just one coach said it to me or if all of them said it, but if you make a mistake, just forget about it and move on. There is nothing you can do about it any more so just focus on the future.”
Most Memorable Moment in High School Sports: “I would say winning state in Division 2 in baseball in 2010. I just remember the semifinal game we won on a walk-off hit against Madison Edgewood. It was my birthday and I pitched in that game.”
Best Part of Playing Three Sports: “Being with your friends. You never have down time. There is always something going on. I think being in sports has helped me in school, too, with putting together some productive time management. You keep busy, but you are still able to get everything done that needs to get done.”
Toughest Part of Playing Three Sports: “You have to find time to get everything done. Something that I’ve picked up at USM, teachers understand that if you have a late night, you might not have all of your work done so that has made things a bit easier at times.”
Favorite Opponents: “I’d probably say Brookfield Academy. I know a couple of guys that played on their basketball and baseball teams. You get to have a little friendly competition in those sports with the guys from Brookfield Academy.”
Favorite College Team: Wisconsin Badgers.
Favorite Professional Team: Milwaukee Brewers.
Cumulative GPA: 3.5.
Toughest Individual You’ve Competed Against: “I’d probably Tyler Frohwirth of Brookfield Academy. He threw a two-hitter against us the other day, but we won the game, 1-0. We play on the same summer team, the Waukesha Fog Orioles.”
College Plans: “I will be playing baseball on scholarship at Jacksonville University in Florida next year. I plan to major in biology.”
Activities Outside of Sports: Volunteering time for Vocation Bible School at Brookfield Lutheran Church.
I Find it Relaxing to: “Normally just go to a friends’ house and hang out. We often go down to the lake or just hang out at a park.”
Favorite TV show: “Baseball Tonight.”
Favorite Movies: “National Treasure, Toy Story.”
Favorite Musical Artists: “I’ve recently got hooked on country music. I like any of the newer country music.”
Favorite Subject: Math or Science.
Favorite Restaurant: Noodles & Company.
Favorite Websites: www.espn.com, www.wissports.net.
Other Family Members: Father, Mark; mother, Sue; younger sister, Amber.
If you would like to nominate a senior, three-sport athlete for Triple Play Triple Threat, contact Mark Miller at mark (at) wissports.net
Tag(s): Triple Threat AOTW News Archive
