Gilbert ‘blessed’ to join Creighton

Garrett Gilbert verbally committed to join Division 1 Creighton following completion of his senior season at Westosha Central. Gilbert, a catcher, credits his parents, Denise and Phil for his success on the field.
Garrett Gilbert verbally committed to join Division 1 Creighton following completion of his senior season at Westosha Central. Gilbert, a catcher, credits his parents, Denise and Phil for his success on the field.

Incoming Westosha Central senior verbally commits

By Jason Arndt
Staff Writer

When Westosha Central High School’s Garrett Gilbert visited the Creighton University campus in Omaha, he knew it was the right place for him, even after five other Division 1 schools had their eyes on him.

The incoming Falcons senior, who batted .398 with five home runs, knocked in 25 runs and collected nine doubles announced via Twitter of his intentions to join the Division 1 Big East School.

“Truly blessed to announce that I have committed to play baseball at Creighton University!” Gilbert stated on August 3.

The future Blue Jay, a team that finished 38-17 overall last year, told the Report he felt an instant connection to the school.

“Creighton is a baseball school,” Gilbert said via email. “They have been competitive in their conference (Big East) the past couple years and cracked national rankings last year.”

Along with the Creighton’s recent success, hosting the College World Series was another factor, he said.

“The facilities are top of the line,” he stated.

CreightonIn addition to top-notch facility, a campus with a total enrollment of about 8,000 students, and the hospitable coaching staff played a significant role.

Creighton is coached by Ed Servais with Rich Wallace serving as the Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator.

Entering Servais’ 13th season, he is the winningest coach in program history, compiling a 603-331-2 overall record, guiding them to four Division 1 NCAA Tournaments.

“The campus just has a home feeling that I picked when I went there,” he stated. “And the coaches made it feel that way, too.”

However, the commitment would not have been possible without the unconditional support of his parents, Denise and Phil, who are always on hand to cheer him on at games.

“My parents did nothing but support me through everything and made sure I found the right fit for another four years,” Gilbert stated. “They certainly deserve a huge credit for my success.”

The support includes enrolling him with the Rawlings Hitters, a Racine-based club that travels around the country, in hopes of garnering attention from scouts.

“My parents are definitely behind my success. Without them, this opportunity of playing college baseball is very unlikely,” Gilbert stated. “They pay for all the travel, food, and all the equipment I have gone through in my years of baseball.”

Equipment is costly, especially for a catcher, a position he acknowledged takes extensive conditioning, enduring the wear and tear of the knees and lower back.

“They key for me is to take care of my body,” he stated. “In the past I’d be drained by the end of the week, but this year I looked more on how to maintain my body throughout the season.”


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