It was the spring of 2009. High school baseball was in full swing, and one of McGill-Toolen Catholic High School's standout athletes was busy considering baseball scholarship options from Division I universities.
Cullen Wacker was excited to finish out his senior season, graduate and join a team where he could follow his dream and pursue his love of sports on its biggest stage yet.
Despite being a successful three-sport athlete, Wacker knew baseball was what he would pursue after graduation.
"I had the opportunity to go play football in college versus baseball, but it seems like I've always loved baseball," Wacker said. "I grew up loving baseball, and it was always my favorite. That's what I thought I was the best at."
The son of a former collegiate baseball player and coach, baseball became not just a pastime, but a way of life for the Mobile, Ala., native.
"I was born at the Air Force Academy and my dad was actually the coach there," Wacker said. "He was an assistant coach for Paul Mainieri, who's LSU's head coach now. Mainieri was at the hospital when I was born and stuff. Ever since I was in tee ball my dad was always my team's coach and he always pushed me. He'll still get on me today about stuff I do wrong. I think my parents have been to every home game."
Just 10 games into his final high school season, Wacker discovered there was something to be said for best laid plans and following in his father's footsteps.
A season-ending injury sidelined Wacker and his dream and forced him to reconsider options after graduation.
"It was just like (the schools) didn't know if they were going to keep their scholarship offers on the table," Wacker said. "One of the coaches from Southern Miss knew a guy out in Texas, so he called him and said `Hey this kid needs a place to play. Can you offer him?' and he said yes. It all worked out."
Wacker attended Northeast Texas Community College for one year where he hit .391 with 15 doubles, 57 RBI and 51 runs scored. He was also named 2010 all-Conference and all-Region XIV. <br clear="left"/>
<br/> Having been such an accomplished athlete coming out of high school, Wacker said it was hard at times knowing he was capable of playing at higher level, but trying to maintain a positive outlook on the situation at hand."In the fall of my freshman year, we'd be playing double headers and in the first few games, I'd be batting in the seven hole, and I would only be playing the second game," Wacker said. "There were other guys that I knew I was better than, but I guess the coaches didn't really know what I could do yet. It was really frustrating, but I just kept working and doing my thing."Located in the small town of Mt. Pleasant, Texas, about an hour from Texarkana to the east and an hour and a half from Dallas to the west, Northeast Texas didn't offer much in the way of entertainment. However, it worked out for the best for Wacker, as he took time to focus almost solely on school and baseball.
"It was a junior college in a town of 800 people, and the only thing there was the rodeo and baseball and softball teams," Wacker said. "You just have to focus on baseball a lot, and your teammates were really your only friends, the only people you hung out with. We were really close as a team because of that.
"Just the experience of being able to handle school and the 56-game schedule, that benefited me a lot getting to play every day and getting at-bats in your freshman year of college. If you come to a Division I school, you're probably not going to get to play every day, so that was a major benefit."
After biding his time and spending a year in JUCO, Wacker was offered a second chance to play for a Division I school and signed on to play for the Tigers in 2010.
Wacker suddenly found out what it was like to not only play at a higher level, but to be surrounded by players who would make him better, as well.
"It was a major step up obviously from junior college to the SEC," Wacker said. "Coming in, it was almost like being humbled being the best player growing up and through high school and even my junior college, and then coming here and having guys who are better than you that you have to compete with. It definitely was a challenge, but it kind of worked out, and it keeps you competitive."
Now in his second season in the SEC, Wacker has adjusted nicely to Division I play and has worked his way into Auburn's lineup as the starting left fielder. Twenty-five games into the season, Wacker is currently hitting .305 with 25 hits, 16 RBI and 14 runs scored. He attributes his success to the work he put in during the offseason and preseason practice.
"I figured I would end up playing myself into the lineup in one of the outfield spots. It happened to work out to be left field, which is where I'm most comfortable at and played last year. I played infield in high school, but I played left field in junior college. That's when I first moved out there. I love it."
While Wacker will wait and see what the future holds for him as a baseball player, he knows that no matter what, he wants to stay in sports and coach at the high school or collegiate level if given the chance. Wacker said he was inspired to coach because of all the people who guided him in his athletic career growing up.
"There are so many different perspectives and viewpoints of baseball and school, and it's good just combining all that knowledge and learning from everybody," Wacker said. "Even the summer league coaches and stuff. There are so many different ways to play the game and so many different things you can do."
Looking back on his whirlwind journey to Auburn, Wacker said while he never envisioned it looking like this, he is appreciative for the path he traveled to get where he is today.
"It's been probably the best route that I didn't even think would've happened," Wacker said. "But it all worked out, and I'm grateful for it."
by Mae Margaret Davis, Auburn Media Relations
Follow Auburn baseball on twitter at twitter.com/AUTigerBaseball.
Back to top
