Student Athlete Success Stories at Arizona State University

Arizona State University pumps out a lot of student athletes over the years, but none that stands out more this month, April, the Month of our National Pastime; Baseball, is Dustin Pedroia. Dustin Pedroia is the starting Second Basemen for the Boston Red Sox, a professional Major League Baseball team. Dustin has shown on and off the field that his integrity he took from Arizona State carried into his adult life and onto the professional level.

Big Things Come in Small Packages

Dustin Pedroia was never a giant of a man, and was actually not considered to be able to make it at the collegiate level or professional level due to the size. He sure made all the doubters wrong about that. Dustin rose through the baseball world by being a scrappy and smart player that allowed him to be accepted to Arizona State University. While at Arizona State Dustin perused an Interdisciplinary Degree but a lot of his focus was on the field. He maintained a great GPA as well as excelling on the field. Arizona State Coach stated Dustin, "Put together three of the best seasons in Arizona State baseball history... completed his career with a .384 (298-for-777) batting average to rank tied for seventh in the record books... was also fourth with 71 career doubles and fourth with 298 hits... came only two hits shy of becoming the first Sun Devil player to reach 300 career hits in only three years... started all 185 games of his Sun Devil career... a three-time First-Team All-Pac-10 selection... joins Alvin Davis, Don Wakamatsu and Andrew Beinbrink as the only Sun Devils to earn three All-Pac-10 awards... recorded 98 career multi-hit games and had a career .972 FLD%... sixth in school history with 212 runs scored, averaging 1.15 runs scored per game during his career... hit safely in 155 of his 185 (84%) career games... two-time USA Baseball National Team starting shortstop... three-time On Deck Circle Team MVP. Dustin Pedroia even gave his scholarship back for sports and concentrated on his academics to push him towards greatness and success.

After completing college, Dustin Pedroia was drafted by the Boston Red Sox, won 3 World Series, multiple awards and maintains to be a model person on and off the field in the Boston area just like he was while attending Arizona State. Dustin enjoys charity work and is very passionate about what he does and where he came from. Coming from Woodland California, Dustin enjoys contributing back to his old little leagues and high schools and donates money and time when he can. Dustin also takes great pride in the “Jimmy V Fund”, which raises money for cancer patients, their families, and survivors.

Dustin also developed what is called “Pedroia’s Platoon” ticket program which is available to U.S Military personnel and their family. They can meet Dustin at the game, throw the ball around with their children, and supports the men and women who serve our country as best as he can. Dustin embodies the ASU spirit on and off the field and he is not only a joy to watch, but to see the smiles he brings to fans is something that can't be reinvented.