University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) baseball player Michael Rothmund has been selected as the Male Spotlight Athlete for the month of June.
As a freshman, Rothmund went 41-for-135 with five homers and a .305 batting average, which helped him receive Second Team All-GLVC East Division honors. During his junior year, Rothmund garnered the program's first-ever GLVC Player of the Week award. Rothmund went 70-for-205 with a .341 batting average. Among NCAA Division II leaders, Rothmund finished first in homers (24), fifth in slugging percentage (.785), ninth in RBIs (68) and ninth in total bases (161). Rothmund led the GLVC in each category. Among UIS single-season leaders, Rothmund's 2017 season puts him T-1 in homers, T-1 in triples (4), second in total bases, third in slugging percentage, third in RBIs and sixth in runs (56). The senior from Lombard, IL was named to the All-GLVC East Division First Team, the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) NCAA Division II All-Midwest Region Second Team and the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) All-Midwest Region Second Team, in addition to being chosen as the UIS Male Athlete of the Year.
Rothmund began his senior season by being tabbed as a CBN NCAA Division II Preseason All-American. He went 77-for-213 with a .362 batting average on the season. Among NCAA Division II leaders, Rothmund ranks T-2 in homers (24), third in total bases (171), T-3 in RBIs (83), seventh in slugging percentage (.803), T-10 in runs (67) and T-19 in doubles (20). Amid GLVC leaders, Rothmund ranks first in homers, first in RBIs, second in slugging percentage, T-2 in runs, fourth in doubles and ninth in batting average. Rothmund was a unanimous First Team All-GLVC East Division selection. He has also been named to the ABCA NCAA Division II All-American Third Team, the ABCA NCAA Division II All-Midwest Region First Team, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) NCAA Division II All-Midwest Region Second Team and the D2CCA All-Midwest Region Second Team recognition.
Rothmund's 2018 season put him first in RBIs, first in total bases, T-1 in runs, T-1 in sacrifice flies (5), second in slugging percentage, T-3 in doubles, T-3 in hits, fourth in walks (31), eighth in batting average and ninth in on-base percentage (.440) among UIS single-season leaders. He also matched the single-season school record in homers. Rothmund wrapped up his career 194-for-593 with a .327 career batting average. Among UIS career leaders, Rothmund ranks first in homers (53), first in RBIs (175), first in runs (148), first in triples (7), first in total bases (408), first in hits (194), second in doubles (41), second in walks (69), third in slugging percentage (.688), T-3 in sacrifice flies (7), ninth in batting average and ninth in on-base percentage (.401).
UIS established a program record in wins, going 47-9 on the season. The Prairie Stars went 23-1 in the GLVC East Division to capture their first-ever division title while setting a program record in conference wins. UIS received its first-ever regional and national rankings, peaking at the end of the year at No. 2 in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper (CBN) NCAA Division II poll, No. 4 in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) NCAA Division II poll, No. 5 in the Perfect Game NCAA Division II poll and No. 1 in the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional rankings. The Prairie Stars qualified for their first-ever NCAA Tournament and went 2-2.
Among NCAA Division II leaders, UIS ranks first in home runs per game (1.86), first in scoring (9.4), first in slugging percentage (.581), seventh in doubles per game (2.36) and eighth in batting average (.327). The Prairie Stars lead the GLVC in each of the previously listed categories. UIS also ranks third in the conference with 1.61 stolen bases per game.
GETTING TO KNOW MICHAEL ROTHMUND
What is your favorite TV show?
Arrested Development
What is your favorite quote?
“If you win once you aren’t a winner, continuing to win makes you a winner”
What is your favorite candy?
Almond Joys
Who is your favorite band/artist?
Chance The Rapper
What is your favorite movie?
Shawshank Redemption
What is your secret talent?
Card Tricks
What is your favorite sports team?
Chicago Cubs
What is your favorite season?
Summer
List three words that describe yourself.
Goofy, Tall and Outgoing
What is your favorite book?
The Catcher in the Rye
What is your major?
Communications
Who is your inspiration?
My father. He has been there for me through thick and thin and allowed me to chase my dreams.
What is your favorite memory at UIS?
Winning conference senior year.
List a little-known, but amazing fact about yourself.
I broke my collarbone as I was being born.
Why did you choose UIS?
To get a University of Illinois Degree and to play baseball at the next level.
What is your favorite class?
Public Relations, because it has nothing to do with math.
Who is your favorite professor?
Jae Sik Ha, because he is THE MAN.
