2003 Football
co-Captain
Sometimes, when an older brother experiences a great deal of academic and athletic success at the college level, the younger brother looks to step out of that shadow by attending a different institution. That shadow becomes even larger when the brothers are from one of the local high schools.
Such is not the case with junior football and baseball standout Dan Mehleisen, a native of nearby Latham, New York ,and a graduate of Christian Brothers Academy in Albany.
Dan's brother Bill is a 1997 Union graduate who was a three-year standout for the football team. Bill, a defensive back who was elected captain for his senior season, was in on 151 tackles with five interceptions, two fumble recoveries and five pass deflections during his career. He was voted to the CoSIDA District 1 Academic All-American team twice and was a Football Gazette All-East All-American honorable mention selection after his senior season.
Dan, who will serve as the football team's defensive captain in the fall, has cast a shadow of his own since coming to Union. Entering his fourth year as a starter, Dan, who is also a defensive back, comes into his senior year already having been in on 145 tackles with four interceptions, 13 pass deflections, four forced fumbles, and six fumble recoveries. An economics major, like his brother, Dan has been a member of the Upstate Collegiate Athletic
Association's All-Academic team each of the last two years (a player must have a 3.2 cumulative grade point averaged and be at least a sophomore in order to qualify).
“Danny is a very intellectual player who combines ability with mind power,” explains head football coach
John Audino. “As our safety, he is the quarterback of the defense and has all of the calls. He is a tireless worker and very dedicated.
“Nothing about his brother's playing days affected his college decision either way,” Audino recalls. “Dan is his own person and has confidence in himself.”
Dan, who also looked at St. Lawrence, Lafayette, Hamilton, and Holy Cross, knew more about Union than the other colleges because of Bill's playing days, but says his brother's career was not the deciding factor.
“The fact that my brother went here obviously had some affect on my decision,” explained Dan, “but I don't think that it was the deciding factor. It helped that I knew about the program and knew most of the coaches
already.”
Dan is equally as talented on the baseball diamond. Among the Dutchmen's leading hitters, Dan batted .386 as a freshman and .364 as a sophomore. He came into his junior campaign with 17 extra base hits among his 57 safties with 27 rbis and 45 runs scored in 52 career games. He was also successful in 14 of his 15 stolen base attempts.
“He is one of the very hardest working athletes I have ever had the opportunity to be associated with,” said
Gary Reynolds, Union's head baseball coach. “He puts his time in with both sports and is an outstanding student-athlete, having just completed a 3.8 winter term.
“He leads by example,” Reynolds continued. “Not only is he a positive role model for the younger players, he is willing to share his knowledge of the game, both in situations and in skills.
Dan is an extremely athletic catcher who puts up very strong offensive numbers. He led our team in both his freshman and sophomore seasons in stolen bases.
Reynolds says that there was no problem recruiting him after the career that his brother enjoyed.
“Dan feels he is a different person than Bill and there was, and is, no conflict.”
While the football and baseball teams take up a lot of Dan's time, he has made a point to experience the entire college experience that Union has to offer. He is a member of SAAC, involved with Media Services workstudy, participated in the intramural basketball program during the winter, and is currently doing an internship at Merril Lynch.
With more than a year to go, Dan has many memories to take with him when he graduates from Union in June of 2004. Beating RPI last fall in the 100th meeting between the two football rivals and winning the Eastern College Athletic Conference's Upstate New York baseball championship last spring are but two of them. Beyond that, he has a while to decide what career goals to pursue.
“I haven't decided what to do after I graduate next June,” he says. “”I currently have an internship with Merrill Lynch, and Billy is working for an international bond trading firm in London. I would like to pursue something in the business field with that type of intense environment, but I've got time to think about it. For now I'm going to enjoy the rest of my time here at Union. I've met some of my best friends here and played sports with some of the best athletes ever. The memories that I have from both football and
baseball have made Union great. The education that I've gotten and the fun that I have had outside of sports has made my experience at Union even better.”