DeRenzo juggling academics, athletics at Penn State
Busy isn't the word to describe Franklin Regional graduate Mike DeRenzo.
Consumed is more like it.
Not only is he enrolled in Penn State's Schreyer Honors College, he's involved in several freshman mentoring programs and has been on the dean's list every semester of his collegiate career. After five years of intense study, he'll be receiving both his bachelor's and master's degrees in computer engineering in May.
What's all the more remarkable is that he's done all of that while also playing baseball. DeRenzo is the Nittany Lions' starting second baseman and senior tri-captain.
"It's made me schedule demanding," said DeRenzo, whose been playing baseball since he was 4 years old. "Managing academics and athletics has been a big task at Penn State for me."
DeRenzo grabbed Verizon Academic All-American and All-Big Ten third-team honors for the second year in a row last season. This year, he is one of three captains on the Nittany Lions' squad, along with teammates Wes Reohr and Zack Smithlin.
"He's good at all aspects of the game," said his coach, Joe Hindelang. "He brings a high level of play to the practice or the game, every time he steps on the field."
DeRenzo led the team in batting average last year, hitting .355, while smacking four homers and nine doubles. He drove in 30 runs to help the Nittany Lions go 23-30, finishing 10th in the Big Ten.
This year, Hindelang hopes the senior leadership being provided by DeRenzo and the other captains will help propel the team to the top of the Big Ten. So far, the Nittany Lions are 10-12 overall, 5-3 in the conference.
DeRenzo's average isn't where he'd like it to be -- he was hitting .210 as of April 8 -- but he's still driven in 30 runs, with two homers, six doubles and one triple to his credit.
He's always been a good player in the field, too.
"He has sure hands and turns the double play," said Hindelang. "We have great leadership with the tri-captains this year."
DeRenzo was named to the Big Ten Academic All-Conference Team for the past two years. As a Panther at Franklin Regional, DeRenzo was a part of two section titles, a WPIAL championship in 1997 and was captain of the squad during his senior year.
"Mike led by example," Franklin Regional coach Larry Wayman said. "He always knew how to bide his time and had everything in order."
DeRenzo was recruited out of high school by Penn State.
"I was looking for a good balance of athletics and academics," DeRenzo said. "The five-year program here fit me pretty well."
What might happen after college remains to be seen. DeRenzo already has a job offer waiting for him in Pittsburgh following graduation, but baseball is a possibility, too.
Either way, DeRenzo has enjoyed where academics and athletics have taken him so far.
"It's been busy but I think I've managed things well," DeRenzo said. "I was able to enjoy all aspects of the college experience."
