Central Michigan University Athletics
Pleiness Two-Sport Standout For CMU
11/21/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 21, 2000
Chad Pleiness is a unique individual.
He's a two-sport standout in college where it's tough enough to be good in one sport.
The 6-6, 240-pounder from Scottville who went to Mason County Central is the starting power forward on the Central Michigan University basketball team and a starting pitcher on the baseball squad.
If that's not enough to make the quiet, unassuming Pleiness a rarity on today's collegiate athletic scene, how about this: he's a senior academically, a junior in baseball, a sophomore in basketball and he came to CMU on a football scholarship.
Chad just doesn't play basketball and baseball for the Chippewas ... he excels. He earned Mid-American Conference all-freshmen first team honors in hoops last season and has been clocked at 90 miles-per-hour throwing a baseball.
While baseball has been in Pleiness' plans all along, football's loss was definitely basketball's gain.
"Football conflicted too much with baseball," Pleiness explained. "I saw Dan Schell play both baseball and basketball so I knew it could be done. It really hasn't been that big a problem. You just have to manage your time. My biggest concern is making sure my academics are taken care of."
Pleiness has proven to be a talented "juggler."
After taking 20 credits at West Shore Community College during his senior year in high school, Chad came to Central with 20 college credits. He currently carries a 3.25 grade-point-average in marketing.
Pleiness was a bit surprised by his success in basketball. He joined the team as a walk-on but ended up starting 19 games, averaging 9.4 points per outing and 3.5 rebounds.
"It took me awhile to get back into basketball shape," he recalled. "I played 10 minutes a game or so to begin with and then I became a starter."
Chad is optimistic about the 2000-01 season.
"We have a lot of potential," he said. "The key is how we play in the final five minutes of a game ... how we react in pressure situations. We have talent. We just have to see how we come together as a team."
by Fred Stabley Jr., Sports Information Director
