Noah Rooney - Minnesota

PBR: Why did you choose the school you did?

Rooney: I chose the University of Minnesota because it was the best place for me to develop not only as an athlete, but also academically and as a person. I have a tremendous amount of respect for the coaching staff and the history that comes with putting on a Minnesota baseball jersey. Having the opportunity to play for the home state team is something that I’ve dreamed about since I was a little kid and I couldn’t be more excited to be a Gopher.

PBR: What other schools were you considering?

Rooney: The other schools that I considered throughout the recruiting process were Michigan, Pittsburgh, Bradley, Charleston Southern, Indiana State, Xavier, NDSU, and SDSU.

PBR: Where did the coaching staff first see you? How did your relationship develop with him?

Rooney: The coaching staff at Minnesota first saw me at their prospect camp my freshman year of high school. Our conversations first began at the end of my junior year and we grew a very good relationship throughout this summer.  The more I talked with the coaching staff, I realized that they had many of the same goals that I did. This ended up being the place that fit me best.

PBR: Do you feel relieved now that the process is over and you can just focus on baseball and not deal with everything that goes into picking a school?

Rooney: There were many parts of the recruiting process that I enjoyed, but by picking the University of Minnesota I have been able to put more focus into my nutrition and training. Now that I know where I’m going, I can work with them to make improvements before I start off my freshman year at the U.

PBR: Was there one deciding factor that put your choice over the top?

Rooney: The one deciding factor that put Minnesota above the rest of the schools was having the opportunity to compete for the home state team. That is something that I have dreamed about since I was 3 years old and to have the opportunity to work with Coach Anderson and the rest of the coaching staff is a tremendous opportunity.

PBR: Who has helped you the most to get to where you are today?

Rooney: My parents have definitely helped me the most to get where I’m at today. They have done everything possible to put me in the position that I’m in and have taught me so many valuable lessons that can be used both on and off the field.

PBR: What were your expectations about the recruiting process? Was it easy/difficult?

Rooney: My expectations of the recruiting process were a little more difficult then I imagined them to be at the beginning of the process. To have the opportunity to talk with a coach who wants you to come to their university to be a student athlete was a phenomenal experience for me, but having to really narrow down the schools you have interest in was a very tough process. What really helped me make a decision was to find the place that you felt would help you in academics, athletics, and in all other aspects of life the most.

PBR: What plans does the coaching staff have in store for you in your freshman season?

Rooney: The coaching staff really has no specific plans for me my freshman year. I will have the opportunity to compete throughout the fall to earn a roster spot, and then we will have a discussion of what the rest of the year entails after fall camp. I’m excited to have the opportunity to compete and see where things go from there.

PBR: What is your most memorable baseball moment to date?

Rooney: The most memorable baseball moment for me up to this point was winning a section title with Perham my sophomore year. Perham hadn't made a state appearance in baseball since 2012 and we wanted to be the team to finally get back to a state tournament. Many of us put so many hours in the gym together and to finally see it all payoff winning that section title was an awesome experience. 

PBR: Who is the best player that you have competed against?

Rooney: The best player I have ever competed against was Vytas Valincius from Tennessee. We played his team at the PBR event in Wisconsin and although I didn’t pitch against him, he had two homers that game and just showed a really impressive display of hitting throughout the whole tournament.