2020 / REDSHIRT SEASON
• Practiced with the team in the fall, but was in the process of redshirting when the season was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2019 / AS A JUNIOR
• Third Team All-Big Ten
• Academic All-Big Ten
• Purdue's only player to start all 54 games
• Recognized as the Team MVP and Newcomer of the Year
• Team's top utility player was the only Boilermaker to start games in all three outfield positions (28 in RF, 4 in CF, 1 in LF)
• Also made a team-high 21 starts at first base, the position where he opened the season
• Earned All-Big Ten honors as an at-large/utility player
• Reached base safely in 47 of the 54 games, highlighted by streaks of 18 (Feb. 24-March 26) and 22 consecutive games (April 13-May 18)
• The 22-game streak will extend into the 2020 campaign
• Batting .432 with a .530 on-base percentage and 15 walks vs. 12 strikeouts during the season-ending streak
• Reached base safely multiple times in 12 consecutive games from April 13 to May 3
• Led the team in batting average (.317), hits (65), walks (25), OBP (.407) and stolen bases (10)
• Raised his batting average 75 points over the final six weekends from .242 on April 12 to .317 at the end of the year
• Only the second Boilermaker of the decade with a pair of walk-off RBI in the same season
• Drew a bases-loaded walk in the ninth inning of the 9-8 win vs. NJIT and delivered a sac fly in the 10th inning of the 2-1 victory vs. Penn State
• Delivered a pair of two-out RBI doubles, including the game-tying hit in the top of the ninth, in the 10-inning loss at Indiana
• Batted leadoff 17 times, becoming Purdue's first first baseman to lead off since at least the beginning fo the 2001 campaign
• Hit safely in every game of six of the 14 weekends
• Named an all-star for the Wenatchee Apple Sox of the West Coast League
PREVIOUS COLLEGE
• Played his first two collegiate seasons at Yakima Valley College in Yakima, Washington
• NJCAA first-team All-American and Region MVP as a freshman
• In 2017, batted .396 with 13 extra-base hits, 33 walks, 28 RBI and 41 runs scored in 38 games
• NJCAA third-team All-American as a sophomore, batting .358 with 25 extra-base hits, 37 walks, 38 RBI and 72 runs scored in 48 games
• YVC won 44 games and qualified for the championship game of the Northwest Athletic Conference Tournament in 2018
• Two-time All-NWAC performer
HIGH SCHOOL
• The state of Montana does not feature high school baseball so he played Legion ball all four years for coach Brian Benjamin
• Also played four years of basketball, varsity as an upperclassman, as well as JV football as an underclassman
• Earned all-state honors in Legion ball as a senior
• Also an all-conference honoree in Legion ball as sophomore and junior
• Played in the 2011 Little League World Series with his Billings team, representing the USA’s Northwest Region
• Helped Billings reach the U.S. title game of the LLWS, pitching 5 2/3 shutout innings in a 1-0 win and hitting a home run in the championship game; finished the LLWS 6-for-12
PERSONAL
• Major: Kinesiology
• Full name is Cole Ryan McKenzie
• Born in Billings, Montana
• Parents are Kelly and Lori McKenzie
• Family also includes older sister Kate
Purdue Personal Preferences
Favorite Pro Team: Denver Broncos
Favorite Athlete: Russell Westbrook
Had the Biggest Impact on His Athletic Career: Lori McKenzie, Mom
Favorite Playoff Format: March Madness
Favorite Field He’s Played at (Besides Alexander): Parker Faller Field
Favorite Pro Stadium: AT&T Park
Toughest Pitcher for Him to Face Among Teammates: Bo Hofstra
Current MLB Pitcher He’d Like to Face: Chris Sale
Would Like to Have Dinner With: Bo Jackson
Celeb He’d Like to Meet: Rob Dyrdek
In His MP3 Player: Logic
Would Love to See He Play Purdue: Travis Scott
Favorite Multi-Media App: Snapchat
Favorite Actor, Actress & Director: Chris Hemsworth, Megan Fox & Michael Bay
Favorite Super-Hero Series: Batman
Show He Can’t Stop Watching: Game of Thrones
Favorite Video Game: Fortnite
Favorite Month: May
Favorite Holiday: Christmas
Favorite Food: Chicken Alfredo
Favorite Dessert: Vanilla Ice Cream with Chocolate Syrup
Favorite Outdoor Activity: Golf
Another Sport He Enjoys Playing: Basketball
Favorite Purdue Building: Wilmeth Active Learning Center (WALC)
Favorite Big City: Dubai
Country He’d Like to Visit: United Arab Emirates
Favorite Thing About Alexander Field: Clubhouse
Favorite Thing About Purdue Road Trips: Hotels
Favorite Thing About College Baseball: The Atmosphere
Furry Friend: Molly, Pointer/Boxer Mix & Mac, Mixed-Breed Dog
• Practiced with the team in the fall, but was in the process of redshirting when the season was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2019 / AS A JUNIOR
• Third Team All-Big Ten
• Academic All-Big Ten
• Purdue's only player to start all 54 games
• Recognized as the Team MVP and Newcomer of the Year
• Team's top utility player was the only Boilermaker to start games in all three outfield positions (28 in RF, 4 in CF, 1 in LF)
• Also made a team-high 21 starts at first base, the position where he opened the season
• Earned All-Big Ten honors as an at-large/utility player
• Reached base safely in 47 of the 54 games, highlighted by streaks of 18 (Feb. 24-March 26) and 22 consecutive games (April 13-May 18)
• The 22-game streak will extend into the 2020 campaign
• Batting .432 with a .530 on-base percentage and 15 walks vs. 12 strikeouts during the season-ending streak
• Reached base safely multiple times in 12 consecutive games from April 13 to May 3
• Led the team in batting average (.317), hits (65), walks (25), OBP (.407) and stolen bases (10)
• Raised his batting average 75 points over the final six weekends from .242 on April 12 to .317 at the end of the year
• Only the second Boilermaker of the decade with a pair of walk-off RBI in the same season
• Drew a bases-loaded walk in the ninth inning of the 9-8 win vs. NJIT and delivered a sac fly in the 10th inning of the 2-1 victory vs. Penn State
• Delivered a pair of two-out RBI doubles, including the game-tying hit in the top of the ninth, in the 10-inning loss at Indiana
• Batted leadoff 17 times, becoming Purdue's first first baseman to lead off since at least the beginning fo the 2001 campaign
• Hit safely in every game of six of the 14 weekends
• Named an all-star for the Wenatchee Apple Sox of the West Coast League
PREVIOUS COLLEGE
• Played his first two collegiate seasons at Yakima Valley College in Yakima, Washington
• NJCAA first-team All-American and Region MVP as a freshman
• In 2017, batted .396 with 13 extra-base hits, 33 walks, 28 RBI and 41 runs scored in 38 games
• NJCAA third-team All-American as a sophomore, batting .358 with 25 extra-base hits, 37 walks, 38 RBI and 72 runs scored in 48 games
• YVC won 44 games and qualified for the championship game of the Northwest Athletic Conference Tournament in 2018
• Two-time All-NWAC performer
HIGH SCHOOL
• The state of Montana does not feature high school baseball so he played Legion ball all four years for coach Brian Benjamin
• Also played four years of basketball, varsity as an upperclassman, as well as JV football as an underclassman
• Earned all-state honors in Legion ball as a senior
• Also an all-conference honoree in Legion ball as sophomore and junior
• Played in the 2011 Little League World Series with his Billings team, representing the USA’s Northwest Region
• Helped Billings reach the U.S. title game of the LLWS, pitching 5 2/3 shutout innings in a 1-0 win and hitting a home run in the championship game; finished the LLWS 6-for-12
PERSONAL
• Major: Kinesiology
• Full name is Cole Ryan McKenzie
• Born in Billings, Montana
• Parents are Kelly and Lori McKenzie
• Family also includes older sister Kate
Purdue Personal Preferences
Favorite Pro Team: Denver Broncos
Favorite Athlete: Russell Westbrook
Had the Biggest Impact on His Athletic Career: Lori McKenzie, Mom
Favorite Playoff Format: March Madness
Favorite Field He’s Played at (Besides Alexander): Parker Faller Field
Favorite Pro Stadium: AT&T Park
Toughest Pitcher for Him to Face Among Teammates: Bo Hofstra
Current MLB Pitcher He’d Like to Face: Chris Sale
Would Like to Have Dinner With: Bo Jackson
Celeb He’d Like to Meet: Rob Dyrdek
In His MP3 Player: Logic
Would Love to See He Play Purdue: Travis Scott
Favorite Multi-Media App: Snapchat
Favorite Actor, Actress & Director: Chris Hemsworth, Megan Fox & Michael Bay
Favorite Super-Hero Series: Batman
Show He Can’t Stop Watching: Game of Thrones
Favorite Video Game: Fortnite
Favorite Month: May
Favorite Holiday: Christmas
Favorite Food: Chicken Alfredo
Favorite Dessert: Vanilla Ice Cream with Chocolate Syrup
Favorite Outdoor Activity: Golf
Another Sport He Enjoys Playing: Basketball
Favorite Purdue Building: Wilmeth Active Learning Center (WALC)
Favorite Big City: Dubai
Country He’d Like to Visit: United Arab Emirates
Favorite Thing About Alexander Field: Clubhouse
Favorite Thing About Purdue Road Trips: Hotels
Favorite Thing About College Baseball: The Atmosphere
Furry Friend: Molly, Pointer/Boxer Mix & Mac, Mixed-Breed Dog