WHERE ARE THEY NOW? ANDY MEYERS '09

Andy Meyers is a 2009 graduate of Monmouth, and one of the most accomplished players in school history. A 2007 All-NEC First Team selection and three-time First Team All-State, Meyers hit .395 in '07, the sixth best for a Hawk ever. He ranks fourth all-time in hits with 244, including one shy of a single-season program record with 88 in 2007. He also lists second in career doubles (61) and fifth in runs scored (152) and home runs (26). Meyers was a member of the 2007 NEC championship team, and the 2008 NEC regular season title team.

What have you been involved in since graduating from Monmouth (job, career, etc.)?
I have been an entrepreneur involved in various start-ups and successful mergers and acquisitions in the Mobility sector.  My latest venture is Kaptyn, where the goal is to be the largest and most profitable fleet of Electric Vehicles that will help accelerate the commercialization of electric-autonomous fleets. We work with the largest demand aggregators ("Ride-Share" companies) as well as the top Energy and Infrastructure firms in the world. We plan to reduce the carbon footprint created by fuel powered commercial vehicles by 50% in each city we operate in. I am proud husband to Megan (Brennan) Meyers-Monmouth Lacrosse class of 2010, and father to two boys, Andrew Jr. (3) and Jack(1). We currently reside in Las Vegas, NV. 

Describe your path from Monmouth to the field you're currently involved in.
When I graduated in January of 2009, the world was still enduring the financial crisis of 2008.  I took as many internships as I could to understand as quickly as possible where my career impact and passion would lie post Monmouth and baseball. I was lucky to find a few mentors and was able to prove to them that strong work ethic and an ability to be team-oriented were my skill sets created by my playing days at Monmouth. I became quickly intrigued by the traditional fleet industry of New York City and spent the next 8 years in NYC helping evolve the industry forward. I continued to stay close to Monmouth alums, both athletes and fellow students to create a network where we could share experiences and cultivate new professional relationships. 

What is your fondest playing memory at Monmouth (game, moment, championship, etc.)?
Fondest is winning the 2007 NEC Championship and playing in the NCAA Regional hosted by Arizona State. Most important is what happened to our 2006 team. I've learned that through failure and hardship you learn the most about yourself and your teammates/partners. If it wasn't for what transpired to our team in 2006, 2007 and the successes of my younger teammates may have never happened.   

If you could give advice to a current Monmouth player, what would it be?
Understand and embrace your role as quickly as possible. Team sports and especially baseball can teach you more in four years at Monmouth than any current player can comprehend. Coach Ehehalt is a generational coach and the current players have to soak up and follow his guidance. He was hard on me, but he knew the right buttons to press on each player to ensure the team camaraderie could result in a championship-caliber program. Today's world is tough. We are facing many economic and social barriers. You have an opportunity to write a chapter as a ballplayer at Monmouth. Take pride in how you represent the program. Oh, and go to class. It will help you when you graduate.

How did your time at Monmouth prepare you for life after graduation?
My time at Monmouth will forever be instrumental in my personal and professional accomplishments. As I said above, I met my wife at Monmouth and am grateful for that. I also was able to create lasting friendships that were built both on and off the playing field. Coach Ehehalt was a huge piece of maturity building and he greatly prepared me for the business world post Monmouth. It's cliché, but baseball is a game of failure. How you "fail forward" as a ballplayer at Monmouth will be a big assessment of your role in life post-Monmouth. 

Between your former teammates and coaches, who has had the most impact on your life?
I won't answer one because there isn't one. Coach Ehehalt had a unique impact due to our relationship for four years, but there are 10+ teammates and even former Monmouth ballplayers that I did not play with that continue to have impact on my life. I was lucky to play beside and currently call Brad Brach a best friend. His journey has been extremely impactful to watch unfold as the only MLB All-Star to come from Monmouth Baseball. 
 
Have you been able to stay in touch and follow the MU Baseball program? If so, how?
Absolutely. We host a weekly Zoom call and there is anywhere between 5-10 former teammates that join. I have moved around the country the last decade so I do not get to see the guys as much as I would like, but modern technology gives us the opportunity to continuously be group chatting to stay up to date…and obviously still crack jokes on each other. 

What has changed the most with the baseball program and the Monmouth Athletics department as a whole since your time as a student-athlete?
Technology.  Social media platforms and the data analytics used in modern collegiate athletics is unbelievable.  When I played, we had flip phones and this thing called "the Facebook" came out.  But the world won't slow down so the current players and coaches need to continuously be searching for the new school while trying to incorporate what of the old school will be a forever tool. I know one thing for certain, no matter how much big data or algorithms, "cowboys" win championships.