Chippewa Valley Times

Each week, the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) highlights two student-athletes from its eight institutions in a "Student-Athlete Spotlight" segment. These segments are shared every Thursday and are presented by Culver's. This week, the spotlight is on Matthew Melendez, a junior at UW-Eau Claire majoring in Exercise Science with a minor in Psychology.

Melendez, originally from River Grove, Illinois, chose UW-Eau Claire for its strong programs in Exercise Science and Rehabilitation Science. He was also drawn to the opportunity to play baseball. "I chose Eau Claire because I was given the opportunity to play baseball and because UW-Eau Claire has programs/classes that I am interested in," he said.

Competing in the WIAC as a Division III athlete is something Melendez values highly. "The WIAC is known to be one of the most competitive conferences for baseball, and it motivates me to be the best athlete and teammate that I can be," he noted.

In addition to his athletic pursuits, Melendez enjoys several activities and has varied interests. His favorite Culver's menu item is the Chicken Tenders Basket, while his preferred non-athletic spot on campus is upstairs at Davies Center. He lists "Elf" as his favorite movie and Halloween as his favorite holiday.

A memorable sports moment for Melendez was hitting a home run on Father's Day in Cooperstown, New York. "My greatest sports moment is when I hit a homerun on Father's Day in Cooperstown, New York, and being able to give my dad the ball after the game," he recounted.

Melendez looks up to Mr. Gonzalez (Mr. G), his middle school math and science teacher who encouraged him to better himself. For aspiring athletes, he advises: "Your size does not matter when it comes to competing in sports."

His dream job is to become a physical therapist, and among his bucket list items are traveling to Italy and visiting all MLB fields.