Picture: Kenosha News
KENOSHA, Wis.–
It’s always exciting when you’re signed to play Division One baseball following your high school career, and that’s exactly what Kenosha Bradford second baseman Vinnie Hubli told me when we spoke for this edition of the Wisconsin Baseball Central interview series. He’s excited to take the next step in his high school journey, along with his collegiate journey, which will begin at Chicago State University. Everything made sense for Hubli when choosing Chicago State, the big city, the field, the coaches, and the school had his major. The full interview is below, featuring Vinnie’s extremely long, but fantastic answers.
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Alex Strouf: Take me through what your recruitment process was like.
Vinnie Hubli: The recruitment process really kicked off with me doing a lot of ground work. A lot of emails for me and just as I said, a lot of ground work. Really how it kind of went for me, was as soon as I sent out the emails, I did a lot with Prep Baseball Report, I had a lot of help from my GRB coach Greg Reinhard as a reference and always reached out for me as well. Really getting out there and getting my name out there. Getting on it early really helped me because by the time the high school season rolled around I got a couple offers. Summer really helped as well. That’s kind of how the recruitment process went for me. The offer from Chicago State came in the high school season, they came out and watched me a bunch, and other schools were in the mix, but that’s what really led me to Chicago State. I love where I’ve committed and wouldn’t change it for anything.
AS: You brought up the GRB Rays. What was it like playing with some of the top players from across the state?
VH: It was something special. Playing with, we had I wanna say 15, division one commits on a team is a very special thing. It was a big deal. Playing with those guys just showed the love of the game, the hustle; sprint on and off the field. It makes the game a lot more fun. It makes you a better ball player. The Rays, I have no doubt, is one of the best programs, if not the best in the Midwest, and if not one of the best in the entire nation. Talent wise, the heart of the guys of the team. Great coaches. I learned a lot from being on the team and I learned a ton from those coaches.
AS: You’ve had a lot of postseason experience in your three years at Kenosha Bradford, two obviously being on the Varsity level.. Although you haven’t been able to make it past the Semifinals, what have those experiences been like?
VH: Sophomore year I got called up. Sophomore year I got to play with Kevin Tibor, now he’s at UW-M[ilwaukee] and Colton Lee. So playing with those guys was pretty special being only a sophomore in high school. I learned a lot from them and that was a pretty special year. We made it to first round in state. Last year was also a pretty special year, playing with my buddy Ty Jandrowski. I’ve been hitting back-to-back with him every year. He ended up at Madison College, so me and him had a great experience, along with at GRB Rays. It was a great experience in sophomore year. I think we can make it back to that level this season, because the players, the coaches, and everybody is just ready to go. We can be successful this year and I think the attitude and tendencies will just gel this season for Bradford.
AS: You were a huge part of this Red Devils team last season.. Second in Batting Average, Third in On Base Percentage and Second in RBIs.. What was your whole junior season like?
VH: My junior year was a very fun year. I got to be a part of a great program and a really fun time. Statistic wise, I try to put that in the back-burner and try to have fun and show my hustle on and off the field. That’s something I want to bring to Bradford bseball this year and share with the younger guys. From playing with some of the top competition from around the country. you should just make the game simple. Have the simple approach. Baseball should be fun. If you take it too seriously you could take the fun out of the game. What I’m trying to say is this next year is my main focus and I really want to try to help out the younger guys. You want to teach them some of the talent you see on the field against you and some of it on the field you play with. This year those are some the thing’s I’m going to try to do.
AS: That’s a perfect example of why you were pretty heavily recruited: your leadership, along with your ability as a batter and an infielder. What was so special about Chicago State that made you pick them?
VH: Chicago State, I was really impressed with it all. The big draw for me was, if you walk on the campus and see the field, that’s just unbelievable, they’ve added a three-million dollar turf field so that’s just something you want to be apart of. They play in the WAC conference, so just another thing you want to be apart of. That’s awesome. They take nine to ten flights a year playing against New Mexico State, flying to Texas, flying to California. You’re out there experiencing that and that’s just awesome. For their spring trip they go down to Florida, Georgia, Louisiana. Three weeks out of February, some non-conference stuff playing Notre Dame, Michigan, UIC, UW-Milwaukee, and that’s just a great experience. On the athletic side of it, I really like the coaches which includes head coach Steve Joslyn. Coaches are great, I’m really excited to go down there and play for them. Athletically, just something you want to be apart of. Academically, they have my major, criminal justice, which is one of the best majors at CSU. School cost affordable wise is, you can’t get any better. School wise, you just can’t get any better. Living in downtown Chicago, and at my official visit I got to see some of that. I’m really, really looking forward to living in Chicago. Only an hour away from home.
AS: What has head coach Steve Joslyn told you when you two have chatted?
VH: I dealt more with coach Napientek, him being the recruiting director. Coach Joslyn, though, he’s always had great advice on helping me to the right path. Both coach Joslyn and Napientek are great. I received my offer during the high school season, after the first playoff game. They’ve both just been great, letting me do my due diligence. As far as the recruiting process goes. That’s a part of CSU that I really liked. The coaches let me do my own thing and let me experience the recruiting process. They called me and actually up’d my offer in the summer, and it was just really hard to turn down. There is so much going for the school, so much going for the coaches, just great coaches that I want to play for.
AS: Tanner Umentum of Denmark and Joe Baier of Bay Port will be joining you at CSU.. You’re pretty tight with both of them, correct?
VH: Tanner I met this fall. Tanner and I get along really well, always shooting him breeze on the bench. All of us keep in touch. I have a great relationship with both of them, I believe all three of us are going to be rooming together, so that sounds like the plan. Me and Joe roomed together all summer, we had our official visits together, and we’re just really good friends. I’m looking forward to hanging out with both of them, and looking forward to playing ball with them and the rest of the Chicago State ballclub.
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