Athlete of the Week: Wesley Fishburn ’17

Last week, Fishburn, the team’s third baseman, showed why he is regarded as one of the best players in the Conference. In four games, the La Jolla, Calif., native went 10-14 (.714) with 6 runs scored, 4 RBIs, a homerun and a stolen base. He capped off the week with a spectacular performance versus Franklin & Marshall, where he went 4-4 with two doubles, raising his season average to an un-human .528 (19 for 36).
MAX KASSAN: What is your major and why did you choose to pursue it?
WESLEY FISHBURN: I’ve always been interested in market dynamics and how different market forces interact to affect the economy. I took an economics class in high school and really enjoyed it, so coming to Swat I had an idea that I was interested in economics, but Professor Kuperberg’s macro class really cemented for me that I wanted to pursue economics as a major.
MK: You tore your ACL last season; how were you able to balance your recovery process with academics?
WF: The fall and beginning part of the spring semester were definitely tough. I was spending more time doing physical therapy every day than I normally would doing baseball activities, so I definitely had to adjust my schoolwork schedule.The athletic trainers have been awesome about being accommodating and flexible with their schedules, so that I’ve been able to balance my class work. Like with anything at Swat, it’s been about managing my time well.
MK: How rewarding does it feel for you to come all the way back from an injury and continue to have success at a high level?
WF: It’s been great. I’ve tried really hard to limit my expectations for myself, given that I didn’t touch a baseball bat for about 10 months after I got hurt. I kept telling myself that just being able play, regardless of how well I played, was a success. However it’s been really satisfying to come back and be able to contribute to be team, and have all those months of rehab pay off.
MK: Now that you are a senior, how has your role on the team changed?
WF: I think as a senior there’s a mandate to contribute to the team in ways other than performing on the field. While I was hurt, I tried to contribute in other ways, whether it was talking to guys about their approach at the plate, or having energy in the dugout to keep guys engaged, and just generally trying to set a good example.
MK: You hit .399 your sophomore season and you are currently hitting .528. Do you have a personal goal to hit over .400?
WF: People like to give me a hard time, because my sophomore year I went 0-4 on the final game of the year to drop my average under .400. But like I said earlier, I’ve really tried to limit my expectations for myself this year, and just focus on enjoying being back out there. That said though, I’d be lying if I wasn’t thinking about it a little bit, it’d be a fun way to go out.