University of Minnesota Athletics
Around the Bases with Micah Coffey
4/3/2018 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
MINNEAPOLIS - GopherSports.com went "Around the Bases" with Gopher Baseball senior infielder Micah Coffey earlier this season to catch up during his senior campaign.
This season, Coffey has batted .278 through 28 starts for Minnesota, driving in 15 runs on the year while crossing the plate 16 times himself. His solo home run leading off the ninth inning against Arizona at the DQ Classic back on March 2 sent the game to extra innings, allowing the Gophers to pick up an eventual 3-2 victory in extras. He hit his second homer of the season while going 4-for-6 in Minnesota's 15-1 win over Creighton back on March 11.
GopherSports.com: Pitching dominated early this season at US Bank Stadium, but you are one of the guys who has had success offensively throughout the Gophers' non-conference home slate. What do you like about playing at US Bank, and why are you seeing the ball well?
Micah Coffey: It's a fun atmosphere, it's fun to be in a stadium like this. It's big, everything is really nice, we have a nice locker room over here, so, just the whole atmosphere is pretty fun. As far as seeing the ball, just trying to see the ball well and put good swings on balls. There isn't a whole lot to it. I feel like we're trying to make adjustments because in years past, we've struggled in here. So, trying to tweak a few things, adjust a few things, just trying to hit more balls hard.
GS: How have you seen your role change this season as a senior?
MC: I tried to take on a leadership role from the moment I got here. This year, there is a little more positional leadership because I am a senior. So, my voice carries a little more weight to it. I try not to act any differently, though. I try to respect guys, listen to guys, and make sure that guys know they're cared about above anything else. I try not to really enforce a whole lot, but really try to speak wisdom into guys and offering any insight I can.
GS: What has been your favorite moment during your career at Gopher Baseball?
MC: Probably the night that we won the Big Ten [in 2016]. It was a really special night, kind of the culmination of that season. The hard work we put in and the goals that we had set coming to fruition will always stand out as a really special day for me. I'd say that one game against Ohio State, it was a Friday night, was a lot of fun.
GS: What would you say is the biggest lesson you've learned while playing collegiate athletics?
MC: Every at-bat, every play, is all about just gaining information. That's kind of the biggest word I've repeated to myself amongst failures: "Information." You have to take everything at face value and learn from it. You can't get too high or too low; just take everything as information.
GS: Everyone here hopes to be playing at the next level when they're done with their college career, but what are you studying and what's your backup plan or post-career plan?
MC: My degree is in Human Resource Development with a minor in Leadership. Right now, I'm making connections in the human resource field down in Chicago, so hopefully I'll have something lined up regardless of what happens at the next level.
GS: What's your favorite MLB team and player - either as a kid or today?
MC: I grew up a huge Cubs fan, so my favorite players are guys like Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo, but it's funny because my favorite guy to watch is probably Joey Votto of the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds are a rival of the Cubs, but Joey Votto is a guy I really like watching as far as approach goes. He really knows how to control the bat, control the game, and has seen a lot of success. But, the Cubs will always be my team.
GS: What's your favorite baseball movie and why?
MC: That's a good question. Wow. I've always been a Field of Dreams guy. I like that old school baseball feel, and kind of everything about that movie between dreams and the voices and just the way the game is played back then. It's something I really appreciate.
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