Name one athlete who graduated from Quinnipiac and went on to play professional sports? It is tough, but there is one. His name is Steven John Wendell, but you may know him as Turk Wendell.

Wendell, a graduate of Quinnipiac in 1988, went on to play Major League Baseball. As a career relief pitcher, Wendell has made a name for himself as finesse, fly ball pitcher.

He came up in the majors in 1993 with the Chicago Cubs of the National League. He accumulated 23 saves with the Cubs until he was traded mid-through the1997 season to the New York Mets.

During his stint with the Mets is where Wendell really shined. He went 18-11 in four seasons with an ERA of 3.19. He was dominant against right handed hitters.

After spending four years in the Mets organization, Wendell was sent in a midseason trade to the Philadelphia Phillies during the 2001 season.

In three seasons with the Phillies, Wendell has accumulated seven wins and two saves. He has also made 122 appearances in the team’s 332 games. These numbers only include the 2001 and 2003 seasons because of an injury kept him from participating in the 2002 campaign.

Wendell, a native of Pittsfield Massachusetts, made $3.35 million in 2003. He has been an vital part of the Phillies’ success this season and is a mainstay in their bullpen.

Wendell is one of the most recognizable players in the majors with his ragged hat and his necklace that features a number of shark teeth strung on it.

So far in his ten year career, Wendell has 36 wins, 33 saves, 503 strikeouts, and an opponent’s batting average of .239.

With the brand of athletes that the university now has, it might not be too long until there is another Bobcat gracing the world of professional athletes.