Matt Greene, in his second year at Frostburg State University, is expected to be one of the leaders for the Bobcats’ baseball team in its first season of play in the Capital Athletic Conference.  He was a standout player at South Carroll High School, a junior college All-American at Hagerstown Community College and a D3Baseball.com 2011 preseason All-America choice.  Here’s a glimpse at Matt Greene, this week’s CAC INTRODUCING … featured student-athlete of the week.

What is your background in the sport you play?  I have been playing baseball since I was four years old. My dad was always involved in sports and that is the reason I started at such a young age. I started out with coach pitch/T-ball and by the age of eight, I was playing travel teams. When I was 10 years old, I began traveling the country to play competitive baseball. At 13 years of age, I was playing with guys who were three to four years older than myself at Mt. Airy American Legion and I played there until I was 18. I then went on to Hagerstown Community College before transferring to Frostburg State and I also played wood bat summer leagues in the Cal Ripken Sr. League in Maryland and The Coastal Plains League in North Carolina. I believe having an older brother was another reason for my involvement in all the sports at such a young age.

What is your favorite spot on campus?  Java City is my favorite spot on campus.  I am a huge fan of their Strawberry Smoothies.  I try to have at least 2 a week.

Briefly describe the most memorable experience during your collegiate athletic career.  I have many so I cannot just choose one.  But to narrow them down, playing in the Maryland All-Star game at Camden Yards my senior year of high school and playing in the Junior College World Series and hitting a home run on the first pitch of the game as the leadoff hitter in the elimination game were both pretty exciting.

What is the most important societal issue facing college students?  I think the peer pressure of school causing people to drink alcohol at a high rate is a very important issue.

If you could change any one item in the world (in your personal life, school, community, amateur or professional sports, national/international issue, etc.), what would it be, why, and how would you do it?  I would change the way professional athletes are perceived. It may look like they have the easy way out, but the things they do, day in and day out, are much more difficult than people think. I would develop a way for people to see what athletes have to handle on a daily basis to be successful. Not everyone is cut out to be a professional athlete and I would show how difficult it truly can be. I have even thought a reality television show would be a way to get this point across.

What is your major in college, and what is the most important thing you learned in that discipline?    I’m majoring in Law and Society with a minor in Coaching. I have learned many important things in each area as they all take hard work to be successful. Learning skills in the classroom is a challenge, but getting out in the real world and doing the jobs that are offered as a part of my major is a never-ending learning process. They are two professions that will be difficult to have perfection in and I like the challenge that each of them present.

Other than your family members, who was the most influential person in your life?   I wouldn’t say there was one person as an individual, but I would say professional athletes as a whole. I have always wanted to be a professional athlete and be on television and travel the country doing what I love to do.

If you could give one piece of advice to elementary school children, what would that advice be?  If you work hard at what you want to do in life, it will be much easier to conquer your dreams.

What is your favorite form of entertainment?  I like movies. They are always an easy way to hang out with a group of people or by yourself and not be bored.

Outside of the Capital Athletic Conference, who or what is your favorite sports person or team?  I am a huge Pittsburgh Steelers fans, and my favorite baseball players are Joe Morgan, Derek Jeter and Prince Fielder.

Name three (3) people, real or fictional, living or dead, that you'd like to have dinner with?    I’d like to have dinner with Troy Palamalu, Lebron James, and Jackie Robinson.

Jackie Robinson because of all the amazing things he accomplished on and off the baseball field. I want to hear stories about what he had to go through and how he overcame it all.

Lebron James because I would want to ask him what his life was like growing up. I would like to find out if he liked all the hype he received coming out of high school and going to the NBA. Finally, I would want to know the reason why he left the Cavaliers and get a truthful answer.

Troy Palamalu because he is such a great competitor and I would like to find out about his life and what it was like growing up in his homeland of Hawaii. I guess I would also like to ask him about his hair.