The reigning national champion UW-Whitewater baseball team sets off for a seven-game stretch in Pensacola, Florida next week. The Warhawks have gone on this trip since 2019. While it comes early in the season for the Warhawks, its impact lasts much longer. Nine days in the Sunshine State calls for depth, leadership and team bonding. 

“We’re wedged in three houses for both the staff and the players,” head coach John Vodenlich said. “You’re around your teammates everyday. It’s a critical time to get to know each other and start to bond as a team.” 

The extended time together and close proximity provides the team with opportunities to build trust and communication before conference play begins. 

“We’re all very close on that team,” senior infielder Andy Thies said. “One house will have 18 guys, the other will have 17, but it’s a great bonding experience. It’s definitely a trip that we look forward to every year.”

While the trip offers warm weather and the opportunity to be outside at this time of the year, the Warhawks will still be tested both physically and mentally. 

“It’s definitely tough on the body, especially for the position players who are going out there and playing every day,” Thies said. 

Despite the schedule showing seven games, a total of 12 games will be played, including five junior varsity games.

“It’s going to be a lot of baseball packed into a short period of time,” Vodenlich said. “We’re going to try to set a rotation for those seven varsity games, and then fill the gaps with those JV games.”

With a tight schedule and many games to be played, production from throughout the line up makes depth a key factor for this team, which could provide an opportunity for some players to make a name for themselves. 

“Last year I got hurt, and Jackson Spring was able to show what he’s got,” senior infielder Danny Hopper said.

Entering the trip ranked No. 6 nationally, the Warhawks will not only look to develop internally but also keep up that standard that last year’s team has set. 

“I think the key is being on a baseball field and being able to compete daily,” Vodenlich said. “This time of year has always helped us answer some questions that we had going into the season. And certainly this year we have more questions than we have had in previous years.” 

Looking at the games themselves, the Warhawks compete against Nebraska Wesleyan, Grinnell College, Sewanee, Carroll, Edgewood and Trinity College throughout their nine days in Pensacola. Being able to face opponents they normally would not see during conference play allows the Warhawks to find their rhythm, see how the team works together and set the tone early in the season. 

The team may be spending their time off on the beach, but expectations remain the same. With many games packed into a tight schedule, leadership becomes especially important for maintaining the focus of the trip. 

“I hope the veteran players are able to pass down quality information and mindset checks,” Vodenlich said. “I hope they really try to explain to them the purpose of going down there and how their day is going to look. At the end of the day we have to emphasize that we’re there to have a great experience, but it is a business trip and we are there to win baseball games.”

While it is sunshine, baseball and beaches for nine days, these players are still student-athletes and have academic requirements they also need to fulfill.

“In years past I might have thought of it as going on a vacation, no school for two weeks. But there is still an academic piece that we have to harp on the younger guys,” Hopper said. “You’re not just an athlete here. You’re getting a degree. So you have to be a student and then after you’re done, you get to be an athlete for the day.” 

Ultimately, the success of the trip won’t be just about wins and losses, but also by how the team grows heading into conference play. 

“We’re really excited to do the thing we love to do and I’m really excited for us,” Vodenlich said.