During game-two of Saturday afternoon’s home opening doubleheader, I asked Jeff Donovan who was in the on-deck circle if he was going to make it up to Madison Saturday night for the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame Banquet.
Both UW-Whitewater football coach Lance Leipold and Jeff Donovan were scheduled to be feted during the event. Leipold as the 2009 Wisconsin College Football Coach of the Year. Donovan the 2009 Wisconsin College Football Player of the Year.
Donovan’s answer was simple and to the point…. “ Heck no - this is baseball season.”
The Wauwatosa East High School basketball team was playing Milwaukee King in a sectional contest at Milwaukee Marquette High School back in the spring of 2006. Jeff Donovan was a starting forward averaging 9.2 points per game his senior season. I was sitting with then UW-Whitewater football coach Bob Berezowitz and Monica Donovan, mother of Tosa East senior starting forward Jeff Donovan. Mind you, I was at a basketball game and I remember saying to Monica that Jeff would look awfully good in a UW-Whitewater uniform.
A generation ago it was not uncommon for a UW-Whitewater, or back then, Whitewater State College to play two sports in college. If a student-athlete plays two sports in the new millennium in college it normally is big news.
Donovan, also a 1st team All-State quarterback received plenty of interest both in football and baseball following his senior seasons at Tosa East..
Donovan had a couple Division 1 offers to play baseball but he really wanted to play two sports in college. Jeff wanted to play baseball and football.
Donovan and his parents visited UW-Whitewater in March of 2006. I was with the Warhawk baseball team on their 2006 spring trip in Arizona. Sitting poolside one afternoon I received a telephone call saying Jeff has decided to play baseball & football.
Donovan showed the difficulty of playing two sports in college. His grades suffered resulting in Jeff missing the 2009 Warhawk baseball season.
Donovan has returned this spring and is off to a solid start playing first base and hitting a robust .475. Jeff will also be called on to do some pitching for John Vodenlich's team in 2010.
Donovan lists his top accomplishments to date at UWW as being the starting quarterback in two NCAA Division III football games (winning the National Championship last December) AND playing in the 2008 Division III College World Series.
Jeff Donovan is one of those players that excels at whatever sport he is playing at the time. For the Warhawk baseball team, Jeff is just a solid player that will help make the Warhawks a strong title contender this spring.
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