Throughout the spring semester we are highlighting our senior Fighting Scots with a Senior Salute series. Today's featured senior is football's Michael Kennedy. Kennedy is a statistical and data sciences major.
Q: Why did you choose to attend The College of Wooster?
A: I chose Wooster to play football and take advantage of Independent Study. I loved the idea of an undergraduate research process that provides a leg up in your desired field.
Q: What does being a Fighting Scot student-athlete mean to you?
A: It means the world. I am so grateful I was fortunate enough to play the best game there is for as long as I have.
Q: What are some of your favorite memories as a student at The College of Wooster?
A: My favorite memories come from being a member of Phi Sigma Alpha, specifically receiving a bid as a first-year and being elected president for my senior year. Phi Sigma Alpha was truly the best decision I have ever made.
Q: What is the best part about being a student-athlete at The College of Wooster?
A: The best part is building a sense of identity on campus. Nothing helped me with the transition from high school to college more than being held accountable by coaches and teammates.
Q: What else were you involved with on campus besides your sport?
A: As previously mentioned, I am the president of Phi Sigma Alpha.
Q: Which College of Wooster faculty or staff member has made the greatest impact on you and why?
A: Gabby Hiller was a vital part of my success and my fraternity's success. She led me to become the best president I could be and helped me deal with the stressors of being a senior student-athlete. Additionally, Professor Ronda Kirsch helped me academically more than any teacher or professor I have ever had. I credit her with a lot of my academic success.,
Q: What other people or resources impacted your Wooster experience in a positive way and how did these people and resources set you up to be successful at Wooster?
A: Wooster is where I experienced the best coaches I have ever had. Coach Austin Anderson was hired as my offensive line coach only a few days prior to camp starting my senior year. I cannot express how much he has aided in my development as a player and a leader. He has had more of an impact on me than he may ever realize.
Q: Tell us a bit about your Independent Study project?
A: I am working within the statistical and data sciences department, being advised by Dr. Drew Pasteur. My project creates a new metric for evaluating and quantifying the performance of an NFL offensive lineman using pro football focus data. The issue with this now is there are no traditional statistics for offensive linemen, leading to time-intensive, subjective film-grading systems that lead to inefficiencies and misevaluation. I am creating a statistic that I have coined victories over substitution (VOS), much like the baseball statistic wins above replacement (WAR), to show how many more wins an offensive lineman can contribute to his team compared to that of a replacement-level player.
Q: Tell us a bit about something cool you did as a student at The College of Wooster?
A: This past summer, I was able to receive funding from the APEX Fellowship to complete a summer internship with the Akron RubberDucks, a minor league baseball team and the Double-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians.
Q: Reflecting back on your time at Wooster, what advice would you give your first-year self?
A: Become comfortable being uncomfortable. There are going to be situations where you want to lay low. Forming friendships with the people you hold close on this campus is the best opportunity you will ever be afforded. You only get four years to do this. Take every opportunity to form a brotherhood, make a memory, or make the most of a moment. Work hard and play harder.
Interested in becoming a Fighting Scot?
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