Academic Achiever of the Week: Connor Baker

PARKERSBURG, W.Va. (WTAP) - Our Academic Achiever of the Week plays football and basketball while maintaining a 4.27 GPA and taking college level courses.

Connor Baker made his senior year a touchdown or you could call it a slam dunk.

But, if you want to get specific, he scored his one thousandth point,

Connor said, “I’ve always dreamed of having my name on the wall in our gym since I knew it existed and it was a goal for both myself personally and then my dad as well and my mom.”

It was on the free throw line and the pressure was on.

Connor remembered, “..., and that was our first game out of quarantine and it already got pushed back again because of weather and I’m thinking I have to get it done here or who knows if I’m going to play another game or not so that’s - especially during a season like this, the relief was even greater.”

While Connor’s basketball career ended on a high note, he isn’t done playing football. Just last week, he signed on to Muskingum University.

“I just love sports. That’s my favorite thing I’ve always done since I was - since I started playing them so I would say since I was five or six I always dreamed of playing college sports,” he said.

Connor’s dad was a big influence on his decision to play in college. His earliest memories of sports with his dad go back to the years his dream began.

“I don’t play baseball anymore but when I was really young probably like six - five or six and going down to the baseball field and just hitting and practicing with him and fielding ground balls. I always remember doing that,” he said.

Past the touchdown line, Connor plans on trading in his football for a stethoscope but, from the looks of it, becoming a nurse won’t be his final slam dunk.

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