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COURTESY OF OSU ATHLETICS Kyle Dernedde, a redshirt freshman, plays both infield and outfield for Oregon State Baseball and lives with three other student-athletes.
Living with other studentathletes ‘builds chemistry... translates to the field’ OSU Baseball player discusses what it is like living with current and former teammates. By BENJAMIN RABBINO Sports Contributor In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, moving back to Corvallis, Ore. to enroll in school, even if it’s online, brings up issues about where and with whom people will live. That extends beyond regular students and brings up more issues regarding guidelines and protocols to follow for student-athletes who are enrolled at Oregon State by means of athletic scholarships. Kyle Dernedde, a redshirt freshman, or COVID Freshman as he put it, plays both infield and
outfield for Oregon State. Dernedde lives with teammates Jack Washburn, a redshirt freshman pitcher, Micah McDowell, a redshirt freshman outfielder, and former OSU player Wyatt Young. Washburn is from Webster, Wis., while Young grew up and still has family in H o u s t o n , Texa s . McDowell, meanwhile, comes the furthest from Oregon State, as he originally hails from Nova Scotia, Canada. In a recent interv i e w, Dernedde talked about how he views his housing situation and if he finds that living with his teammates leads to greater chemistry on the
field. Although none of them knew each other before coming to college, they all quickly learned to get along and enjoy time together after their freshman seasons. Q: Would you say that it is an advantage to have roommates on the baseball team? Do you find that you are doing the same activities most of the time? A: Yes. It is definitely an advantage for us to live together rather than to not, especially for the team. I would say that we are always together for the most part, outside of practice that is. I think this whole year has brought the four of us closer than we would have thought, and it translates onto
the field it feels like we have a different type of chemistry out there. We almost have the same daily schedules. In practice we might be split up to do different position work, but after that we are right back together as a group. It is nice living outside of a dorm hall or apartment complex, feeling like we can go back to somewhere where you can’t be bothered. Q: Are there any disadvantages to living off campus, rather than on campus in a dorm like Tebeau Hall? See STUDENTATHLETE HOUSING page 20
MAY 3, 2021 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 17
