Click here for the 2013 schedule

by Tomomi Menjo'13

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – This is an exciting time for many seniors as they are getting closer and closer to their last quarter of college. Justin Viele of the Santa Clara baseball team is very excited to have a strong last season as a Bronco with his fellow seniors. Santaclarabroncos.com (SCB) caught up with Viele (JV) and he shared with us how his experiences have been as a Bronco and what he is looking forward to for his last season.

SCB: What did you do for training over summer/first quarter?
JV: I started the summer playing in Slippery Rock, Penn. with my fellow Broncos, Max Deering and Zach Looney, but due to a nagging elbow injury I was only in Slippery Rock for a couple weeks before returning home.  When I got home I rehabbed my elbow a lot, but was still able to hit, take ground balls and lift normally for the most part.

The fall quarter training was awesome because lifting as a team is always a lot more motivating and exciting, especially when Coach Beauregard lifts with us and we all turn into MONSTER DIESEL BEASTS! Coach Leake also had very specific phases for us that we went through in order to gain as much strength as possible.

SCB: What did you do over winter break for baseball?
JV: Over winter break I went to my high school and worked out with the team there. Go Aztecs!

SCB: What are you most excited about for your senior year?
JV: School-wise I am most excited about graduation.  It seemed so far away when I first got to Santa Clara and now it's pretty crazy that I am a senior and going to be done with college.  But being able to celebrate with all the other seniors on the baseball team is going to be great as well as celebrating with my family whom I know will be very proud of me and making them proud is always a great feeling.

SCB: What are you working on to improve?
JV: I am trying to improve controlling my emotions during practice and games.  Having played many college baseball games, I have noticed that playing this game with a lot of emotion does not consistently work for me.  So being able to take the game for what it is and continuously control what I can control is going to be the most important improvement for me.

SCB: What are your personal goals this year?
JV: My school goals are to mix in some A's. On the field, I want to get to the point where I am playing one pitch at a time and not getting caught up in what has happened or what I think is going to happen next.  If I can get to that point, it's going to be a great season.

SCB: Any expectations from your teammates?
JV: This is a pretty special group of guys who I think are capable of doing some incredible things on the field.  The only thing I expect out of these guys is to always play the game the right way, control what we can control and never to be satisfied with anything. RD.

SCB: What is/was your favorite memory of being a Bronco baseball player so far? 
 
JV: This is a tough one because there have been many amazing memories for me, but I will narrow it down to a couple. Opening up against the defending champions at South Carolina in 2011. My first series as a freshman against Nevada. Scoring the game winning run against San Jose St. in the rubber match of a three game series my freshman year and being named player of the game. Being heckled by fans of South Carolina, Gonzaga, Houston and some other teams is always pretty entertaining. Iron Sharpens Iron event was one of the coolest events I've been apart of even though it was extremely difficult. Every second of wearing our old school uniforms.

But the best memory for me has got to be the game against Texas State last year, easily the greatest game I have ever been apart of.

The Broncos will kick off their 2013 season at home on Feb. 15 as they take on Seattle.

Go Broncos!