It’s the most wonderful time of the year and I’m not talking about Christmas. This is when you hear a crack of a bat or when you ask someone to buy cracker jacks.
That’s right, it is the start of baseball season. Since baseball season is just underway here at Saint Xavier University, I thought it would be an appropriate time to interview one of the top players on the Cougars: Drey Devereaux.
Not only is Devereaux a baseball player, he was also part of the Cougar football team for four seasons. Drey is another two-sport athlete at Saint Xavier University.
Some of his accomplishments include 2015 SXU Player of the Year in football and CCAC Pawlings Gold Glove Team Outfielder last season for Cougar baseball. His record was 173 all-purpose yards, eleven receptions for 141 yards, and two touchdowns for the 2016 Cougar football season. Devereaux had a batting average of .239 in the 2016 Cougar baseball season.
When I sat down with Devereaux, we talked about what to expect in Cougar baseball and his life as a two-sport athlete at Saint Xavier University. Take a look to see what this power player had to say!
When did you start getting into sports?
I first got into sports at age four. I grew up watching and playing sports with my older brother. The first sport I was able to play was baseball.
Growing up, who was your role model?
Growing up I loved watching Derek Jeter play, and I always wanted to be like him, but watching my brother play, I always wanted to strive to be better than him.
Why did you come to Saint Xavier University?
I came to SXU because I felt it was the best school where I would get the opportunity to play football as a freshman. SXU was one of the only schools that allowed me to continue to play two sports.
You are both a football and baseball player at Saint Xavier. What is it like being a two sport athlete?
It’s a blessing being able to play to sports. Not very many people get the opportunity to do so. It’s very busy also. There’s not much time in the off season. Doing both is a nice thing because as soon as one season ends, I get ready for the next.
As opposed to just playing one, I would have to wait ten months for the next season to start.
Go through your daily schedule, what is your day like during football and baseball season?
Football season is easier to manage. Weekdays are the same. Wake up and go to classes in the morning. Then in the evening we have meetings then practice for a couple hours.
Get a workout in. Rest up at night, do homework, relax with the guys, and do the same thing the next day. Saturdays are game day. Then Sundays relax and rest up.
Baseball season is harder to manage because games and classes interfere. Games could be any day of the week. Sometimes back to back days.
Wake up, go to classes in the morning unless there’s an away game. If there’s no game, then go to classes, couple hour practice, get a workout in, do homework, and hang with the guys to relax. Do the same thing the next day.
Do you feel like football prepares you for baseball and vice versa?
Yes I believe they both go hand-in-hand. Each sport requires different skills and attributes. Baseball is more hand eye coordination.
This skill carries over to football when I’m catching footballs.
If you had to choose between football and baseball, which one would it be and why?
I would choose football because it’s fast tempo. There’s more opportunities to make something exciting happen. There are only a few moments where you can make something exciting happen in baseball.
What do you want to do after you graduate?
After I graduate I plan on going into the coast guard. Then after that, I wanna be a conservation officer somewhere out west and also a professional hunter.
What are your Top Five songs you listen to right now?
No order: 1. Erase Your Social- Lil Uzi Vet
2. Psycho- Post Malone
3. Let You Down- NF
4. The Middle- Zedd
5. The Game- Russ
Morning person or night owl?
Night Owl forsure!
Thanks for the awesome interview Drey! Good luck to you and the rest of the team! Find out who I sit down with next week on Athlete Profile!
Christine Manika
Sports Columnist