Wake Forest Athletics
World Class Student-Athlete Experience: Pete Princi’s Philanthropy Signifies Impact Wake Forest Had on His Life
12/30/2021 8:00:00 AM | Baseball, General
Former baseball student-athlete Peter Princi credits his years at Wake Forest for shaping him to succeed in all his professional career endeavors.
This past fall Peter Princi returned to Wake Forest after being gone for many years due to the commitments of life that are deserving our time; raising a family and building a business. However, Wake Forest has never been far from his mind or his heart.
"When I walked onto campus with my wife and three sons, I had the same emotional response I did when I walked onto the campus for the very first time visiting with my father in 1993. It was a sense of awe and anticipation. The sheer beauty of the campus is surreal and the atmosphere was vibrant, from the interaction with students and the pride they exuded before the football game, to the development of resources in new sports complexes, the business school, and graduate programs."
Peter was a member of the Demon Deacons baseball team as a student athlete from 1994 to 1998 and graduated with a degree in business. Following his graduation, he was able to pursue his childhood dream of becoming a professional baseball player having been drafted into the New York Mets farm system. He was a pitcher for the Deacs and took advantage of all the program had to offer. However, he and his family marveled at the recent renovations to the David F. Couch Ballpark during their recent visit.
"I wish that I had those facilities 25 years ago because maybe my fast ball would have been in the mid to high nineties instead of 91 or 92," he said with a smile. "I was proud to be a Deac then and even more so now. I've been at other college program's facilities all over the country and I manage money for professional athletes, so I've seen the best and the new baseball facility at Wake is hands down in the top 5 in the country. It is truly spectacular."
Peter was as serious about his academics as he was being a student athlete and reflected fondly on his time at Wake Forest.
"Wake Forest provided me a path to success both in the classroom and on field. As a student it was on me to walk out that path but the support from the professors, coaches and community kept me focused and accountable and for that I am very proud to be a graduate of Wake Forest. From an overall experience of social, academic, and athletic, it's second to none," Peter said. "And I still have a lot of close relationships from the Wake Forest community to this day that have helped me grow as a person and in my career."
Peter credits his years at Wake Forest for preparing him for the post-graduate, professional world. He noted that in college he learned a lot from Wake Forest's core values, and that the university gave him a very well-rounded skill set that he credits as a pivotal part of his success from how to deal with adversity and hardships, to being a leader and effectively communicating with others.
The growth and education that Wake Forest gave Princi is a source of pride for him, which is why he likes giving back to the university. But he also gives back to continue the upward growth of Wake Forest.
Peter and his family recently contributed to the baseball facilities, as he knows how invaluable facilities are to recruiting in college athletics. He noted that to attract the best student-athletes you need the best facilities and stadium, and he wanted to assist Wake Forest in that endeavor and help them build on success not only now but into the future to help compete with other elite universities and continue to create a world-class student experience.
"When I walked onto campus with my wife and three sons, I had the same emotional response I did when I walked onto the campus for the very first time visiting with my father in 1993. It was a sense of awe and anticipation. The sheer beauty of the campus is surreal and the atmosphere was vibrant, from the interaction with students and the pride they exuded before the football game, to the development of resources in new sports complexes, the business school, and graduate programs."
Peter was a member of the Demon Deacons baseball team as a student athlete from 1994 to 1998 and graduated with a degree in business. Following his graduation, he was able to pursue his childhood dream of becoming a professional baseball player having been drafted into the New York Mets farm system. He was a pitcher for the Deacs and took advantage of all the program had to offer. However, he and his family marveled at the recent renovations to the David F. Couch Ballpark during their recent visit.
"I wish that I had those facilities 25 years ago because maybe my fast ball would have been in the mid to high nineties instead of 91 or 92," he said with a smile. "I was proud to be a Deac then and even more so now. I've been at other college program's facilities all over the country and I manage money for professional athletes, so I've seen the best and the new baseball facility at Wake is hands down in the top 5 in the country. It is truly spectacular."
Peter was as serious about his academics as he was being a student athlete and reflected fondly on his time at Wake Forest.
"Wake Forest provided me a path to success both in the classroom and on field. As a student it was on me to walk out that path but the support from the professors, coaches and community kept me focused and accountable and for that I am very proud to be a graduate of Wake Forest. From an overall experience of social, academic, and athletic, it's second to none," Peter said. "And I still have a lot of close relationships from the Wake Forest community to this day that have helped me grow as a person and in my career."
Peter credits his years at Wake Forest for preparing him for the post-graduate, professional world. He noted that in college he learned a lot from Wake Forest's core values, and that the university gave him a very well-rounded skill set that he credits as a pivotal part of his success from how to deal with adversity and hardships, to being a leader and effectively communicating with others.
The growth and education that Wake Forest gave Princi is a source of pride for him, which is why he likes giving back to the university. But he also gives back to continue the upward growth of Wake Forest.
Peter and his family recently contributed to the baseball facilities, as he knows how invaluable facilities are to recruiting in college athletics. He noted that to attract the best student-athletes you need the best facilities and stadium, and he wanted to assist Wake Forest in that endeavor and help them build on success not only now but into the future to help compete with other elite universities and continue to create a world-class student experience.
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