magazine-category: Athletics Selected for ‘The Show’ By Gardner-Webb University On November 12, 2021 Download Issue Mason Miller, Selected in Third Round of MLB Draft by the Oakland Athletics Contributing writer Jacob Conley Gardner-Webb pitcher Mason Miller thought his baseball career was finished and was all set to enter the world of finance. However, Miller’s suit will be on the hanger a little longer in favor of a MLB uniform. He was selected in the third round of the 2021 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by the Oakland Athletics. “I love this game,” Miller asserted. “I feel like I’ve gotten a second chance, and I want to make the most of this opportunity.” Miller is the fourth Runnin’ Bulldog to make it to “The Show,” joining Blake Lalli (Cubs), Emilio Pagan (Rays) and Jeremy Walker (Braves) in that exclusive fraternity. He was a pro before he’s a pro. He doesn’t let anything get to him and just goes out there and takes care of business.Jim Chester, Head Coach “He was a pro before he’s a pro,” Head Coach Jim Chester said of Miller. “He doesn’t let anything get to him and just goes out there and takes care of business. He’s also great off the field and in the clubhouse. We were very blessed to have him here.” His journey did not come without a few bumps in the road though. During his sophomore season at Division III Waynesburg University in Pennsylvania, Miller was diagnosed with Type I diabetes. Once the condition was treated, he gained roughly 35 pounds and several miles per hour on his fastball. In 2020, before the season was cut short due to COVID-19, Miller thought his career was over. Then, the NCAA granted baseball players an extra year of eligibility. Miller took the opportunity to jump from Division III to Division I, and came to GWU because of Coach Jim Chester. “Coach (Chester) is a Pennsylvania guy, and a lot of people I know and trust speak very highly of him,” Miller informed. A six-foot-five, 205-pound righthander, Miller finished the 2021 season with an 8-1 record, forging a 3.30 ERA with 121 strikeouts in 92.2 innings of work. In fifteen trips to the mound, Miller fanned 10 or more batters on seven occasions, including a season-high 13 in a 6-2 win at Campbell on March 5. Miller led the Big South Conference and ranked 21st in the nation with 121 strikeouts, the second most in a single season by a Gardner-Webb pitcher and his .210 opponent batting average tops the all-time GWU listing. Miller was a 2021 Big South All- Conference First Team selection and was named to the 2021 ABCA/Rawlings Division I Atlantic All-Region Second Team. He graduated from Gardner- Webb with a Master of Business Administration degree. Reprinted with permission from The Shelby Star.
Article The Dance to Remember Award-winning Documentary Captures GWU Men’s Basketball Magical Season It has been said that during times of isolation or quarantine, some artists dig deeper into the well of creativity and offer works beyond their initial imagining. That is exactly what happened to four Gardner-Webb friends during the spring of 2020; they produced an award-winning documentary celebrating […]
Article We Get to Write Our Own Ending Paralympic Swimmer and Author, Mallory Weggemann Reflects on Her Journey Contributing writer Shelley Stockton Sitting atop the podium on Aug. 27, 2021, three-time Paralympic swimmer and former Gardner-Webb student-athlete, Mallory Weggemann won her first gold medal of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. After nearly nine years of working towards this moment, it was finally here. […]
Article A Breath of Fresh Air Tayuanee Dewberry Brings Positive Attitude, Business Acumen to Reintroduce Girl Scouting Spend just five minutes talking with Tayuanne Dewberry, and she will inspire you to tackle any problem. Her smile, her energy and her positive attitude are contagious. In April 2021, she became the chief executive officer of the Girl Scouts Hornets’ Nest Council in […]