Friday, April 9, 2021

Part of a regular series.

Throughout the year, GNACsports.com uses this space to profile conference student-athletes who are members of their respective institutions’ Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). In addition to providing feedback on the student-athlete experience, conference and institutional SAAC members also offer input on the rules, regulations and policies that affect student-athletes’ lives on NCAA member institution campuses.

Name: Mitchell "Mitch" Lesmeister
Sport: Baseball
Institution: Central Washington University
Year: Senior
Major: Clinical Physiology
Hometown: Walla Walla, Washington

Why Did You Choose To Attend Central Washington?: I chose to attend Central Washington because it is close to home, the coaches and athletic administration promote academic success and I had an opportunity to play baseball.

What Is Your Favorite Class You Have Taken And Why?: My favorite class was Gross Anatomy. The material was hands-on and we got to study the muscles, bones, organs and circulatory systems of various cadavers. It was fascinating to see what structures make up the human body and how they all work together to create a functioning person.

Who Is Your Favorite Professor And What Did You Enjoy About Learning From Him Or Her?: My favorite professor is Ryan Galindo. He is enthusiastic and would often tell stories that were related to the material, which solidified the information. He makes his classes interesting through humor and storytelling.

Years Involved In SAAC: One year.

The Reason You Chose To Get Involved In SAAC: I was on the reserve list since my freshman year and I decided that I needed to finally give it a try.

Most Memorable SAAC Activity To Date: Something that resonates with me is the barbecue that our CWU SAAC organizes at the beginning of every school year to welcome everyone back to campus.

How Do You Feel Participating In SAAC Will Help You In Life After You Graduate?: Participating in SAAC provides me with real-world experiences while I’m still in college. I feel prepared to participate in meetings and discussions with professionals in the workforce.

What Does It Mean To You To Be A Division II Student-Athlete?: To be a Division II student-athlete is an honor. I get to play the sport I love at a high level while receiving a quality education that will prepare me for future endeavors.

What Is The Most Important Thing You’ve Learned About Balancing Athletics And Academics?: I learned that having a busy routine is better than not having a routine. I've found that I am more productive when I have a lot of things going on. When I have a lot of free time, I tend to procrastinate and wait until the last minute to complete tasks.

Biggest Obstacle Overcome During Your Collegiate Career: Dealing with failure is the biggest obstacle I have overcome. I’ve learned how to accept adversity and grow.

Favorite Thing About Competing In The GNAC: The 15-hour bus rides to Billings, Montana.

Most Memorable Sports-Related Moment: When our team hit back-to-back home runs to give us the lead.

If You Could Change One NCAA Rule, It Would Be: I would allow student-athletes to profit off their likeness.

Best Advice You’d Give To An Incoming Freshman: Have fun and enjoy every moment with your teammates because time flies by.

If You Could Spend The Day With One Person (Past Or Present), Who Would It Be (And Why)?: I would spend the day with Tom Brady because he's that dude.

Extracurricular Activities: I enjoy fly fishing in the Yakima River Canyon in the fall. I also like to fish at local ponds and lakes in the spring.

Future Goals After Graduation: I want to become a physical therapist.

Favorite Sports Team: Seattle Seahawks.

Favorite Athlete: DK Metcalf.

One Thing People Don’t Know About You Is: I'm not half bad at card games, especially cribbage.