UMW Baseball Alum Wright Hopes to Find Home in Traverse City

In April 2010, Will Wright's daily routine more-or-less resembled that of your average student-athlete. Wake up, go to class, practice, dinner, sleep, and repeat. And repeat.

This year, Will will tell you himself that his life is anything but mundane. After graduating last May with a degree in Business Administration, Wright decided to trade umpires for juries, pursuing a law degree at the University of Missouri. But he quickly realized something was missing: baseball.

"I was pursuing a law degree at Mizzou in the fall, but I just wasn't having any fun," said Wright in a phone interview. "I made the decision then to go back and pursue baseball as a career."

The decision would pay off; in January, Wright was signed by the Chico Outlaws of the North American League. After participating in and leading the developmental Arizona Winter League in home runs, Will was traded to and signed with the Traverse City Beach Bums.

Traverse City, located a skip-and-a-hop from Lake Michigan, opens up spring training in less than two weeks. Opening Day for the Beach Bums is May 17th.

"Hopefully I am able to build off the success I had in the Arizona Winter league this past February," remarked Wright about the upcoming 2011 season. "My swing was really starting to feel right at the end, and I was seeing results from it too. Hopefully, I can continue playing well when the season starts."

Despite being prepared for the journey that awaits him, Wright admits the whole experience is still a bit surreal.

"I still get goosebumps when people ask me what I am doing these days, because I can answer that I am a pro ball player. I feel blessed and just want to keep living the dream."

It's a dream that partially owes itself to Will's time playing ball at the University of Mary Washington. Wright's senior season, which saw him garner CAC Player of the Year and all-region honors, was the culmination of a spectacular four-year career with the Eagles.

I feel like I blossomed as a baseball player at Mary Washington," reflected Wright.

"Something clicked just before the start of my senior season. I don't think it was one thing that sparked the change, but rather it was the culmination of hard work and dedication from previous years.  I owe a lot to my coaches, but even more to my teammates. We were very much a family."

Fredericksburg Patch will provide updates about Will's performance and experience throughout the season.

Sports Editor Joey LoMonaco can be reached at (703) 350-3651