Springing ahead
For UConn’s Winkel, tough decisions lay ahead
When Chris Winkel struck out swinging in the top of the eighth inning against the University of Hartford at West Hartford’s Fiondella Field on March 10, he couldn’t have known that it was possibly the final at-bat of his collegiate career.
UConn still had 41 regular-season games left on its schedule, not to mention its conference tournament and — hopefully — another trip to the NCAA tournament. But it was all wiped away a few days later, when the NCAA canceled all spring sports for the rest of the season due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“It definitely wasn’t the easiest news to get,” Winkel, a senior first baseman/ outfielder, recalled. “Even though it’s a really unfortunate situation, a lot of people have it much, much worse due to COVID-19. So, we’ve got to keep that in mind, as well.”
On Monday evening, the NCAA reached a decision that will give Winkel a chance to continue his college baseball career. The Division I Council voted to allow student-athletes in spring sports, who had their final season of eligibility canceled by the pandemic, an additional season of eligibility. That means Winkel, or any other current spring-sports athlete in Division I, will be able to play again next season and not count against any roster or scholarship limits.
“The NCAA definitely did right by the studentathletes (on Monday),” Winkel said by phone from his home in Orange. “I think it was the right decision. It would have been heartbreaking for so many athletes to not have that year back.”
Now, for the hard part. Any current seniors or grad transfers who decide to return for another season can retain their scholarship money, up to (but not exceeding) what they were receiving this year. But the individual schools can also opt to dole out less, or no scholarship money at all to those athletes.
In Winkel’s case, that means it’s ultimately up to UConn if it will give him any grant money for next season. And since the school is financially strapped, with massive budgetary problems in athletics, that’s a real issue.
With that in mind, Winkel, the former Amity High star, will need time and more information to decide
whether he’ll return.
“I’ve been thinking about it a lot. I really haven’t come to a decision,” he said. “It’s definitely a possibility (to return to UConn). There’s also a lot of question marks as pertaining to whether schools can continue to fund senior scholarships coming back, things like that. Coach (Jim) Penders told us to wait for all the information to come to us, that way we can make the most educated decisions. That’s kind of what me and the other seniors are doing.”
Winkel could turn pro, but that comes with many question marks, as well. According to multiple reports, this year’s MLB Draft will be cut to as few as five rounds or as many as 10 — down from the 40 rounds from the past eight years. Winkel, who was hitting .348 in 12 games this season, isn’t likely to be selected in the first 10 rounds, but certainly could be selected in the later rounds, as numerous UConn players have been in recent years.
Senior athletes also have the option of transferring to another school that may offer more playing time and/or scholarship money. But that’s something Winkle emphatically says he won’t do.
So, at this time next year, Winkel will either be playing one more season at UConn, or playing professionally. Or …
“I guess going out and joining the workforce still is on the table, as well,” he noted. “I haven’t eliminated any options at this point.”
If Winkel does return for one more season at UConn, he will get the chance to play one more season with his younger brother. Pat Winkel, a sophomore, was out for this entire season after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right arm in December. He should be good to go by the start of next season, however.
“That’s definitely something that will be brought into consideration,” Chris said. “It was a really good experience to play with him again last year, and we were both looking forward to it again this year. So, that would be awesome to do again.”
For now, both Winkel brothers are back home in Orange, taking online classes and occasionally heading down to Old Tavern Road Park to take batting practice, or hitting whiffle balls in the backyard, hitting off a tee in a cage or just playing catch with their father, Jim — all while practicing social distancing, of course.
“You’ve got to be creative a little bit,” Chris noted.
Chris will graduate with a degree in finance, and he is currently applying to Masters programs at UConn. Student-athletes must be seeking some sort of post-graduate degree to be able to play next year.
Plenty of big decisions remain for Chris Winkel, and thousands of other senior college athletes, in the coming weeks.
“We’re waiting on the school, which is deliberating on if they’re gonna be able to support the seniors,” he said. “Those scholarships, obviously, weren’t budgeted for. All that’s gotta come together, and I have to take all that into consideration.”
At least he’ll have the option to make sure his college career didn’t end with that strikeout at Fiondella Field on March 10.