MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Chad Zurcher's jersey will always be special to the University of Memphis baseball program.
“Life throws a lot of curveballs things happen for a reason. So being able to stay who you are and true to who you are, I think that’s what coach rock’s done since he’s been here,” said Zurcher.
Chad Zurcher only had one offer coming out of high school. That was from Memphis' head coach Daron Schoenrock.
“I just want to thank him for the time he gave to chad and the chance he gave chad. Because like chad said he was small and didn’t get quite the look at just because of that,” said Zurcher's mother Sally.
However, the one look he did get set him up to be the 31st pick in the 2011 MLB draft to the New York Mets.
Before that, Zurcher was named Conference USA player of the year leading the country with a .443 batting average.
Now, as an athletic official with the University of Tennessee, he returned to Memphis in Schoenrock's final season to see his jersey be retired.
“It wouldn’t have been the same if it was next year or years down the line,” said Zurcher.
Now every time he walks into FedEx Park, his picture will hang with only 14 other former Tigers behind the third-base dugout.
“I think that’s when it kind of hit me when I walked in and looked at all of those and knew some of them. You know you’ve done something impactful, it’s OK for a moment to be selfish for a minute and enjoy it.”
Chad said he never expected to be labeled as one of Memphis' greats.
“It’s unbelievable, you don’t think about it when you go to college. You don’t think about trying to be a (Memphis) Hall of Famer or get your jersey retired. You’re just playing baseball and good things happen,” said Zurcher.