Five Minutes With ... Michael La Londe

Hiram junior baseball player Michael La Londe

Name: Michael La Londe

Hometown/High School: Willowick, OH/ Willoughby South

Institution: Hiram College

Major: Management   

Minor: Entrepreneurship

Sport: Baseball


•    I am originally from ... Willowick, Ohio

•    Why did you choose to attend an NCAA Division III institution? Better Education

•    How would you describe the philosophy of NCAA Div. III? I get the best of both worlds. I get a great education and I get to keep playing the sport that I love

•    How has your experience been in balancing athletics and academics at Hiram? Its been easy for the most part. My coach understand that school comes first so if there is ever a conflict with both, my coach would rather have me go to class

•    How would you best describe your normal day as a student-athlete at the NCAA Div. III level? I.e. What do you do all day? Very busy ... Wake up early, go to class, lunch, go to class again, hit the gym, practice, gym again, eat, then go to a meeting for something, homework, then bed

•    Favorite thing about Hiram? The community, it’s a very small school but everyone is friendly and I know everyone

•    Favorite thing about the NCAC? The competitiveness

•    What do you want to be when you grow up? I would love to go pro, if that doesn’t work I would still like to do something in baseball, so either try to get a job with the Indians, or hopefully open up my own baseball institution.

•    What has been your most memorable moment in athletics during your collegiate career? Getting the Ace spot in the pitching staff as a sophmore

•    What’s currently playing on your I-Pod? The Thrill - Wiz Khalifa

•    In your opinion, what is the most important life lesson you learned while competing at the NCAA Div. III level? Don’t ever give up

•    Are there any major obstacles that you’ve had to overcome when as a Div. III student-athlete? Yes, I have taken on many clubs here, so I have to manage all of those, plus baseball, plus my school work. It’s very overwhelming but it pays off in the end

•    What are the toughest issues facing Div. III athletes today?  Having to face different players every year because you don’t know anything about that player so you don’t know the best tactic against them

•    Who do you look up to? My parents, they have always been a big inspiration to me and have taught me to never give up

•    What is the meaning of life? Baseball

•    if you could excel at any competitive sport (other than your own) which would you choose? Probably football

•    Which historical sporting event would you have liked to witness? Derek Jeter getting his 3,000th hit.

•    What’s your favorite sports team/Who’s your favorite athlete? Cleveland Indians and probably Omar Vizquel

•    My favorite sports memory is…? Winning a baseball tournament out in West Virgina with my old summer ball team

•    Any Pet Peeves? People who try to sing lyrics to the song, but only know two words to the song

•    Favorite hobbies outside work/school? Sleeping

•    First job? I worked at a pizza shop

•    Best/worst summer job? Working at that pizza shop