By Andy Loigu

Matt Engels, who pitched the Hackettstown Tigers to a 19-6 record, a Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference championship and the 2015 sectional final as the number one seed in his senior season, is starting studies as a J.D. candidate at Rutgers University Law School this month.

The Juris Doctor is a graduate-entry professional degree in law. In the United States, it has the academic standing of a professional doctorate. His coach at Hackettstown High, Gary Poyer, said he is not surprised that Engels is moving ahead to bigger and better things. “He always has been focused on helping others,” he recalled.

Engels earned two bachelor’s degrees at the University of Georgia, in business administration and sports management. As part of the Shop With a Bulldawg program, at Georgia, aimed at poverty alleviation, he did charitable fundraising and educational activities, so underprivileged children could go shopping for the holidays. He also raised funds to benefit  Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

He has trained in areas of establishing charitable foundations, client recruitment, contract negotiation, crisis management and endorsements. 

He’s ready for that client who shouts, “show me the money.” Since 2018 he has worked as a contributing writer for SportsAgentBlog.com pertaining to developments in athlete representation and sports agency news. For two summers he served as an assistant American Legion baseball coach.

“He is an outstanding leader,” Poyer said. “He was always helping and inspiring, one of the best teammates an athlete could have. He made everyone around him better.” Poyer went on to praise Engels for having a sense of humor, at the right time and place. “You have to think all the time and have concentration,” Poyer explained, “but you can’t be wound up and tight to play baseball to the best of your ability and be of help to the team winning. He gave us the comic relief and balance that we needed.”

Engels’ final game as a Tigers pitcher was a 6-1 win over Whippany Park in the sectional semifinal. The opposing pitcher, Charlie Ruegger, got drafted by the Yankees.

“The defense has been awesome all year,” Engels said to the media following that game, in his typical manner of giving credit to others. He did not mention that he struck out nine hitters. He gave up six hits in seven innings but got the double play, a pitcher’s best friend, when he needed it.

With control and command, he struck out 42 batters that season, while only walking six. He surrendered 24 hits in 37 innings.

Backing him up in the field that senior season were Matt Arcona, Anthony Carida, Mike Castellano, John Franco, Jon Pezzato, Nick Pixley, Tyler Proufias and Ryan Snyder.

“I thank my family and friends for their support through the years,” Engels said, from both Hackettstown and Georgia, the land of the free and the home of the Braves.

Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has left the building.