 Sheldon Steiner, standout baseball player for The College of Wooster Fighting Scots, prepares to hit against Otterbein College. Photo by Matt Dilyard, The College of Wooster |
by Phil Richard
Why would a 2005 graduate of Hesston College who played on the Larks baseball team be contemplating medical school? Because Sheldon Steiner, Dalton, Ohio, likes the idea of working around sports and is considering a career in sports medicine or as a sports physician.
Steiner enjoyed his two years at Hesston College, especially professors Jim Yoder and Hugo Boschmann, who teach chemistry and biology. He excelled academically, earning a spot on the dean’s list (3.9-4.0 grade point average) three out of four semesters.
Steiner listed several factors why he came to Hesston. “I didn’t know what I wanted to major in,” he said, “so Hesston gave me two years to decide.” He also wanted to play baseball right away, and knew he would have a better chance for playing time right away at a two-year college. “In addition, I knew I’d have leadership opportunities.” As a sophomore, he served as a resident assistant (RA) in Kauffman Court and was named captain of the baseball team.
Despite battling injuries, Steiner, playing primarily first base, batted .446 his freshman year and .331 his sophomore season. The .446 batting average was the second best in school history, trailing only the school record of .460. As a sophomore, he led the Larks in almost all offensive categories and set a school record for career hits with 79.
“We didn’t have the best record,” he said, “but I had a good experience. I learned a lot from (coach) Art (Mullet), and had fun with my teammates.
“Looking back, I’m happy I came to Hesston,” he said. “I’d do it again.”
Steiner graduated with honors (magna cum laude) from The College of Wooster (Ohio) in spring 2007, majoring in biology. He played baseball, too, leading the Scots in almost every offensive category last spring. He was also named as a 2007 ESPN The Magazine second-team Academic All-American.
In addition, Steiner was one of 29 male spring sport student-athletes nationwide awarded a $7,500 postgraduate scholarship from the NCAA.
Steiner is taking some time off from formal studies, although he is studying for the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test). Beside working part-time at the Dalton YMCA, he volunteers in the Medic-Aide program at Wooster Community Hospital, a program designed to assist pre-med college students gain valuable experience through observation in different departments of the hospital.
In addition, Steiner helped coach the middle school basketball team at Central Christian School, Kidron, Ohio, his alma mater, and is an assistant varsity baseball coach for the high school team this spring.
Steiner is the son of Dean and Prudy Steiner, Dalton, Ohio. Prudy (Kratzer) graduated from Hesston in 1972, then served as a college staff member 1976 to 1978. His older brother, LaMont, graduated from Goshen (Ind.) College in 2005. His younger brother, Tyler, also played baseball for the Larks and graduated from Hesston in 2007.