Concordia-St. Paul Athletic Hall of Fame
Galen Wetzell was a three-time All-NSIC First Team selection for Concordia baseball, earning the honors from his sophomore to senior (2004-06) years, while also securing NSIC All-Tournament honors as a freshman on the 2003 NSIC Tournament Champion squad. He was also a three-time NSIC All-Academic Team selection, earning the honor all three years he was eligible.
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He was a career .369 hitter (146-396) in 143 games and was known for his ability to get on base as he posted a .464 career on base percentage, adding punch from second base with a .457 slugging percentage. He scored 120 runs, nearly one a game and drove in 89 while hitting 16 doubles, five triples and three home runs.
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In his 396 at bats, Wetzell made regular contact, punching out just 36 times and never more than 11 times in any of the four seasons he played as a four year starter. Contrast that to his 42 walks and 30 hit by pitch which made him a tough out for opposing pitchers. He added 11 sacrifices and stole 28 bases in 32 tries while registering a sound .953 fielding percentage with just 21 errors across his 143 games.
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Able to do everything and everything well, Wetzell and the Golden Bears produced a 97-57-1 overall and 57-29 NSIC record. The Golden Bears also had back-to-back school record setting seasons in his junior and senior seasons for most overall wins (29) and set the mark for most NSIC wins (17) in a second place finish during his junior year, before finishing third in the league during his senior year.
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He hit a career-high .414 (36-87) as a sophomore and had .510 and .500 on base percentages as a sophomore and junior, respectively. He powered up in 2005 as a junior, slugging three home runs with a career-high .532 slugging percentage along with a career-high 12 stolen bases.
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In addition to his baseball career and sound academic profile, Galen was involved with the CSP jazz band and was a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
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Following his studies at Concordia, Wetzell went on to earn a doctor of physical therapy degree and has been in the DPT profession for six years. He is a board certified orthopedic clinical specialist by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties. Galen and his wife, Lea have a son, Oliver.
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