Connor Podkul

Podkul[apos]s Student-Athlete Bio Connor Podkul has transitioned to an undergraduate assistant coach role with Purdue baseball after a series of injuries brought to end his playing career. Podkul was a pitcher for the Boilermakers from 2012-14, helping Purdue win the Big Ten title in 2012. He[apos]ll assistant Purdue pitching coach Tristan McIntyre in mentoring the team[apos]s pitchers. Podkul pitched in 12 games, making nine starts, as a freshman in 2012. After starting the big early-season midweek wins against Missouri State and Louisville, he joined the weekend rotation in time for the series at Northwestern in early April. He was honored as the team[apos]s Newcomer of the Year after making six of his nine starts in Big Ten play. Purdue went 6-3 in the games he started and he finished the season with 28 strikeouts vs. only nine walks in 44 2/3 innings pitched. Opposing batters hit just .251 against him. Podkul missed the 2013 season due to Tommy John Surgery. He returned to mound for the 2014 season but injuries limited him to 10 appearances, including seven starts. He opened and closed the season in the weekend rotation, making starts in Big Ten play against Indiana, Minnesota and Iowa. He struck out a career-high seven over six innings of two-hit ball in a midweek start against Illinois-Chicago and did not surrender an earned run over six innings at Minnesota. Podkul was a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and continuing to pursue his degree in selling and sales management. In 2012, he worked six innings of no-hit ball (surrendering one run) in his home debut against Louisville, helping lead the Boilers to a nice résumé win in the final home opener in the history of Lambert Field. He struck out a season-high six en route to earning his first college win with six innings of three-run ball in the finale of the Northwestern series. He also helped lead Purdue to a key rubber game victory at Nebraska with 5 1/3 innings of three-run ball, earning another win. Podkul was a First Team All-State and Duneland Athletic Conference MVP as a senior at La Porte High School after compiling a 1.33 ERA and striking out 123 batters in 74 innings pitched. He was also selected as the La Porte County Herald Argus Area Player of the Year and chosen for Indiana North/South All-Star Game. He was a principal[apos]s honor roll student every semester of high school, a four-year winner of the academic excellence award and graduated with a 3.98 GPA.