North Carolina State University Athletics
TIM PEELER: Brackman Begins Concurrent Seasons
2/25/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 25, 2006
Baseball beats Penn State, 3-2
BY TIM PEELER
RALEIGH - When NC State sophomore Andrew Brackman walked out the doors of the RBC Center Saturday afternoon, following the Wolfpack men's basketball team's double-overtime loss to Boston College, his day was not yet complete.
He had dinner with his parents, then hopped in a car with his uncle for the 90-minute drive to Greenville, where he will make his baseball debut on Sunday, in a 4 p.m. contest against UNC-Wilmington in the final day of the Keith LeClair Classic at East Carolina's Clark-LeClair Stadium.
"I threw a bullpen session on Thursday and Coach (Elliott) Avent said I could start on Sunday," Brackman said, shrugging his shoulders at the uniqueness of his dual-sport role. "I am definitely ready to go.
"Playing both sports is something that I have always done. I don't see it as something that is very different than what I am used to doing."
Brackman has been doing long-toss sessions since January, getting his arm in shape. He started throwing bullpen sessions on the baseball team's opening day, throwing so well it caught the eye of New York Yankees third baseman and reigning American League Most Valuable Player Alex Rodriguez.
"I didn't realize he was back there watching me," Brackman said, grinning. "There were a bunch of people there, so I didn't see him. But on the radio the next day, he said some nice things about me.
"I have a recording of that at home."
That's one of the few times that Brackman has seemed impressed with his dual-sport accomplishment, even though it is certainly rare for a player to be concurrently playing two sports at the same time for two nationally ranked teams. (NC State basketball is ranked No. 15 in the Associated Press poll of writers; baseball is ranked No. 18 by Baseball America."
"He is extremely excited about it," said Brackman's father, Mark, who sat courtside during the 74-72 loss to the Eagles, in which Brackman scored two points and had three rebounds. "He is ready to get his other season started."
He'll be joining a squad on a roll right now. Saturday's 3-2 win over Penn State was the Wolfpack baseball team's fifth consecutive victory and Avent's team is 11-1 on the season. The only loss came against No. 3 Nebraska last week in Charleston, S.C.
Brackman won't miss any time with the basketball team, which has Sunday off from practice and doesn't play another game until next Saturday at Wake Forest at 4 p.m.
Last year, Brackman joined the baseball team on March 28, the day after men's basketball ended its season with a loss to Wisconsin in Syracuse in the third round of the NCAA Tournament. He made his first appearance on April 2, but pitched in relief for nearly three weeks. He made his first start on April 20, when he pitched six scoreless innings in a 3-0 victory over East Carolina, in the same stadium where he will make his 2006 debut on Sunday.
Throughout the basketball season, however, Brackman has worked out more frequently with baseball, in hopes of getting an earlier jump on the diamond. And he clearly believes he is ready to go, with hopes of getting more than the seven starts he made last year.
"I think if I feel like I am ready to go out and throw, I don't see why I shouldn't be able to do that," said Brackman, who tallied a 4-0 record with a 2.09 earned run average in 10 appearances last year. "(Sunday) is basketball's day off, so I just look at it as an opportunity to go out and play baseball.
"I am hoping this will make me able to flow right into baseball season."
You may contact Tim Peeler at tim_peeler@ncsu.edu.
