Baseball team co-captain Nick Schooley is this week's featured student-athlete for "Know Your Profs". The senior shortstop batted a team-best .368 and drove in six runs during the 2020 season that ended after six games due to the pandemic. He is a two-time selection to the CoSIDA Academic All-District II Team and received Rowan's Athletic Director's Scholar-Athlete Award in 2020 as the male student-athlete with the highest GPA. The electrical and computer engineering major was also inducted into the Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athlete Honor Society last year. Schooley and the Profs return to action for the first time in a year when they open the 2021 season on March 9 at Wilkes University.
 
What was the biggest factor that led you to choose Rowan?
Rowan allowed me to play baseball and study engineering, which a lot of other places did not. I also wanted to stay closer to home and play baseball at a place where I would be competing for championships all four years. Rowan was the only place that checked all these boxes.
 
What is your most memorable moment in sports, whether at Rowan or before?
My most memorable moment in sports was my freshman year when we won the NJAC. I had never won anything before so being able to dog pile and hold a trophy up with the team is something I will never forget.
 
If you could play any other sport in college, what would it be and why?
The only other sport I played growing up was hockey, so I would have to chose that. I loved playing hockey and if I were a better skater, I probably would have played it longer.
 
Who was your biggest role model growing up?
My role model is my dad since he was my first coach and installed in me my love for baseball. He also always pushed me to do my best in school which led me to choose engineering as my major. I have always wanted to be like him and with the completion of my degree in May, I will have graduated college as an Electrical Engineer just like him.
 
If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you go and why?
I would love to go to the west coast of the US as I have always wanted to visit baseball stadiums out there such as the San Francisco Giants' and the LA Dodgers' parks.
 
What's your choice – Netflix, YouTube, Cable TV? Favorite show?
I am not really a huge television guy but if I had to choose one, I would say Cable TV just because I always try to watch any sport in my free time. Whether this is baseball, football or even hockey I love watching them all.
 
Who is your favorite professional athlete or team?
My favorite pro teams are all the Philadelphia teams. I root for the Phillies, Eagles, Flyers and Sixers.
 
Who is your favorite follow on social media?
My favorite social media follow is the Flyers mascot Gritty. I don't know what it is, but he always makes me laugh.
 
Which do you prefer – online classes or in person?
I prefer in person classes for learning as I feel like I can make an actual connection with the professor and my classmates. Plus, for my major its easier to do labs in person than online, so in person classes cause me less stress.
 
What is your major at Rowan and what are your career aspirations?
My major is Electrical and Computer Engineering. I plan on working for a bigger engineering firm and hopefully gaining experience to use later in my career. Eventually I want to switch to a smaller company and coach baseball in my free time.
 
What's the best thing about being a Prof?
The best thing about being a Prof is the family atmosphere the athletic department provides. Not only is my team a family but the countless other friends I have met from other teams has made my experience at Rowan everything I could have asked for.