This is the third piece in a multi-part series on Hillsdale College student-athletes in spring sports that lost their senior season in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and chose to take advantage of the extra eligibility granted by the NCAA waiver after the cancellation of the 2020 spring season to return to Hillsdale for an additional year. Look for more entries in the series on Wednesdays throughout the next two months.
Returning for a fifth year with the Hillsdale College baseball team was a risk Andrew Verbrugge was willing to take.
Last March, when the starting pitcher for the Chargers found out about his senior season's cancelation due to the Covid-19 pandemic, he already had a full-time job lined up near his hometown in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Coming back to play out his final year of eligibility meant the possibility of losing a job in an already uncertain job market.
"We were all at practice and wondering if we'd still have our eligibility and at first, I was kind of on the fence if I'd want to come back," he said. "I thought about it, talked with my parents and coaches, and prayed about it. I had a lot of people telling me that the job market might not be too good next year, but there were also a lot of people telling me, 'You're still young. You might as well take the opportunity while you can still play.'"
Verbrugge decided to take that opportunity and was blessed with both worlds: college baseball and an internship. Over the summer, his prospective employer transitioned his position into more of an intern role while still letting him work for the company and get experience.
"I basically did all the same stuff I would've done if I had a full-time job. They even allow me to work while I'm here," he said. "There's kind of a decent chance they might still offer me when I graduate now."
Between baseball and working, Verbrugge has plenty to keep him busy, not to mention his extra course load and preparation.
"I already had a double major, so I added a minor in financial management, and I'll probably start preparing to take my CPA exam in the spring," he said. "I have 13 credits right now, and I'll have six in the spring."
Verbrugge said he's looking forward to that lighter class schedule next semester.
"That should be fun, and I'll be able to spend more time with the guys and not trying to do homework on the bus," he said.
He said the baseball team is a close-knit group, so it's been nice to be able to be with his friends for an extra year.
"At first it was pretty weird. I would just be sitting on the couch in my living room and thinking, 'I could go see this person, but they're not here, or oh, I could go see this person, but they're not here either,'" he said. "But everyone on the baseball team is one big friend group, so that was a pretty easy adjustment."
This will be Verbrugge's second season as one of the team captains, which he's feeling more confident about this year.
"I'll be better off this year because I've learned new ways to be a better leader," he said. "Another guy and I lead our team Bible study. I've never been one to go out of my way to talk about that kind of stuff, but I'm learning to take on this leadership role in a different way."
Getting Verbrugge back was a coup for the Chargers and head coach Eric Thiesen. The senior has been a full-time starting pitcher for Hillsdale since arriving as a freshman and was the team's ace each of the last two years. In the program record books, Verbrugge is sixth in career innings pitched (240.1) and tied for 10th in career wins (12). Barring injury, he should become Hillsdale's all-time innings leader in 2021, and break into the career top 10 in complete games and strikeouts as well.
On the field he said he hopes to help lead his team to another conference title, to add to the G-MAC tournament championship he was a part of in 2018 as a sophomore.
"Obviously, making the conference tournament again as a team, and winning it, I'd say is our goal," he said. "We kind of missed out on it two years ago, and then last year we didn't get to finish it. Making it to the tournament is the most exciting part. With tournament-style games, you get a chance to move on. It's just a different kind of atmosphere."
Verbrugge has a lot to look forward to in his final year as a Charger.
"So far it's going well. I think everyone's enjoying having me around," he said with a laugh. "Or at least that's what they say anyway."
Written by Calli Townsend