By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA – Alex Mendez wants to do as much as he can after not being able to do much at all years ago.
USF's star senior outfielder was a high school senior at Bishop Moore in Longwood, Fla., back in 2008 when one moment opened his eyes to life beyond baseball. Mendez was drafted by the Minnesota Twins that summer and suddenly found it difficult to perform the easiest of tasks while practicing.
“I went to throw a ball two weeks later to try to get back into it and couldn't throw a ball 30 feet,” he said.
Mendez was dealt with the unfortunate news that he'd torn the UCL in his left elbow which required Tommy John Surgery.
“That truly sat me back and showed me it's not all easy and life is tough. It truly helped me mature and steered me in the right direction,” Mendez said.
Mendez hasn't done much sitting down since the surgery.
He's been USF's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee President for four years on top of being a key member of the baseball team that's currently batting .307 with 63 hits in 51 contests heading into USF's game at FGCU 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in Fort Myers.
And that's just skimming the surface of what has been an incredible college career for a student that graduated with a double major in biomedical sciences and business management this spring.
“Alex is the kind of guy we want in our program,” head coach Lelo Prado said. “He is a great baseball player and does all the right things on and off the field.”
Mendez was recognized for his hard work in late April when he was announced as one of 10 finalists for the 2013 Senior Class Award, with the winner being announced during the College World Series in June. To be eligible for the award, a senior student-athlete had to have made notable contributions in four areas of excellence – community, classroom, character and competition.
Mendez has been an active member of the Tampa Bay community, compiling more than 800 hours of service at places like the Salvation Army and Metropolitan Ministries, where he introduced the Samaritan's Feet program to the community with the help of USF. Mendez single handedly raised more than $4,000 for the program and got an experience he'll never forget while washing a grandmother's feet before putting on a new pair of shoes for her.
“For me, I was just trying to give back to her. She just completely overpowered me with joy and thankfulness for washing her feet,” he said. “I know it changed me as a person and I thought if I could bring that to USF and our athletic department it would change a lot of people.”
Mendez wants to keep helping people in the future and he's currently in the process of interviewing with medical schools with a goal of becoming a neonatologist or an orthopedic surgeon. On top of that, Mendez and the Bulls are in the process of chasing a Big East title but you won't hear him complain one bit about his busy schedule.
“It just comes down to priorities. You have to make sacrifices, but I'd rather make sacrifices now and see the rewards 10, 20 years down the road,” he said. “Coach Prado preaches the game of life is tough. I just try to do everything I can to fully prepare myself for the future.”
Give Mendez a Hand
Fans can give Mendez a hand by voting for him on the Senior CLASS Award website or on the Senior CLASS Award Facebook fan page through June 10. Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I head coaches' votes to determine the award winner.
