In The Nest: All-American Kyle Gurney Talks Baseball, BG and Chicken Fingers
Medical Mutual
7/21/2022
Bowling Green baseball backstop Kyle Gurney (Belleville, Mich.) has been named a Freshman All-American and an Academic All-American already has a Falcon. So, what's next for the rising senior and the BGSU Baseball team?
Q: You played summer ball over the last couple months. Who did you play for and what league are they in?
Gurney: This summer I played for the Princeton WhistlePigs in the Appalachian League.
Q: What was the best moment of summer ball?
Gurney: Being around my teammates and coaches. Summer baseball is a grind but hanging out with those guys makes it enjoyable showing up to the field every day.
Q: You were named an Academic All-American, just the third player in program history to receive the accolade. What does that mean to you to do so well on and off the field?
Gurney: It is an incredible honor to be an Academic All-American and be in the same company as two BGSU baseball legends. I try to be the best at everything I do, and it is nice to be recognized for all the hard work I put in on the field and in the classroom.
Q: Did you receive any special congratulation messages after being named?
Gurney: Getting to tell my parents before everything was posted was cool. I was in Princeton, West Virginia at the time so it was just a quick text, but they were very excited and that was a special moment for me.
Q: This was your second All-America recognition after being a Freshman All-American last season. What's the next goal?
Gurney: My only goal is to compete for, and ultimately win, a MAC Championship. The individual accolades are an honor to receive, but there is nothing else on my mind besides winning a MAC Championship.
Q: Growing up, how did you gravitate towards baseball?
Gurney: I started playing travel ball when I was 9 years old, and that was probably when I started to really love the game of baseball. From then on I was playing the best competition around, enjoying every second of it, and making friends that will last a lifetime.
Q: Who inspired or encouraged you the most athletically growing up?
Gurney: My dad and my grandfather. They have both pushed me to be the best I can be and supported me in everything I have done.
Q: You are from Belleville, Mich., which is pretty much right between Ann Arbor and Detroit. What's your favorite place to eat in either city and what's your go-to order?
Gurney: It’s a little bit outside of Detroit, but Uncle Joe’s Chicken Fingers. When I go visit my grandparents on the east side of Detroit, we frequently get the chicken fingers from Uncle Joe’s for lunch. The food is great, but the memories with my family will last a lifetime. I have never had a bad experience when Uncle Joe’s Chicken is involved!
Q: Where is your favorite spot in Bowling Green and why?
Gurney: Easy Street Café. It is a great spot to sit down and eat. I order the French Dip every time I am there.
Q: You are studying business analytics and intelligence. What is your career goal after college in that field and how did you find that niche?
Gurney: I gravitated towards math in high school, so I knew I wanted to study something in that subject. Being in baseball, data and analytics are such an important part of the game and are things I understood well, so the combination of all that led me to study business analytics and intelligence.
Q: Is there something not many people know about you?
Gurney: I picked up a second major, so I will have degrees in Business Analytics & Intelligence and Supply Chain Management.
Q: Who is the funniest player on the team and why?
Gurney: Justin Fugitt. There’s never a dull moment with this dude. He’s an absolute pleasure to be around every day.
Q: Describe Coach Hallock in one word.
Gurney: Winner. He has won everywhere he has been, and it won’t be long until it happens at BGSU.
Q: What would be the better accomplishment in your mind; hitting for the cycle or catching a no-hitter?
Gurney: Catching a no-hitter. It is so cool to be behind the plate when our pitcher is on and you know whatever pitches are called, they are executing them at an elite level and the other team has no chance at hitting them.
Q: The MLB All-Star Game just happened in Los Angeles. If you could play baseball in any major league stadium, which one and why?
Gurney: Fenway Park. The history speaks for itself, and the Green Monster is iconic.
Q: To close, if you could catch behind the plate for any pitcher in the history of baseball, who would it be and why?
Gurney: Justin Verlander. I grew up a Tigers fan and he has been the best in the business for a very long time, so it would be really cool to catch a guy I grew up idolizing.
