Orlando Olivera is among a small percentage of athletes who have found success in a game of failure, and he added consistency to his success by being named first-team All-American twice during his college career. Along the way, he established himself as one of the best players to wear the Spartan uniform.
Orlando Olivera watches a hit during a game. During his tenure at Missouri Baptist University, Olivera won consecutive All-American awards and set multiple school records before being drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals. Olivera returned to MBU as an assistant coach for the 2019 season. Photo courtesy of MBU Athletics
Among the sea of transfer students participating in the athletics program at Missouri Baptist University is senior baseball standout Carter Mize, whose transfer story is quite unique compared to many.
Carter Mize, who is a senior majoring in communications studies, swings at a pitch during a Spartan baseball game. Mize, who transferred to MBU after playing baseball at the junior college level, has landed a starting position at first base. Photo courtesy of MBU Athletics
Coronavirus has suspended life as we know it, and student-athletes’ last remaining games of the 2020 spring season have been taken away. As they mourn losing their opportunity to play, the NAIA has stepped up in a big way, granting all students who lost their season extra eligibility.
This story is part of a series of ongoing stories and analyses produced by MBU Timeline staff members, focusing on several aspects of COVID-19 and how it has changed the lives of students, faculty members, athletes … everyone. Photo courtesy of MBU University Communications — Graphic by Dylan White
Josh Fuentes, who played at Missouri Baptist University five years ago, is now the 11th-rated prospect in the Colorado Rockies organization, according to MLB.com, and he looks to continue his success as he got called up to the Big Leagues this week, delivering a base hit in his first-ever Major League at-bat.
Photos courtesy of MBU Athletics and the Colorado Rockies
Josh Fuentes, then and now. In the photo on the left, Fuentes fields a ball and makes the throw to first base while shoring up the infield as a Missouri Baptist University Spartan five years ago. In the photo on the right, Fuentes dons his big league uniform as he was called up this week to the Colorado Rockies.
Here are some interesting facts about MBU Timeline, the student newsmagazine of Missouri Baptist University, in St. Louis:
*Our mission statement is: MBU Timeline is the student news network of Missouri Baptist University, a private Christian university that embraces the essential core value of “social change through service and leadership.”
*The Bible verse that drives our mission is 2 Timothy 2:15 (Worldwide English Version): “Tell the true message in the right way.”
*The WordPress website has been up since late-fall 2013. We average about 3,000 sessions and about 5,000 pageviews per month.
*Our stories and galleries get as few as 40 or 50 hits, or as many as 8,000 hits.
*We have readers in every state and more than 90 countries around the world. We have several readers in South America, the United Kingdom, India and Australia.
*Most of our readers are in Missouri, followed by Illinois, California and Texas.
*We do not accept advertising as we are a not-for-profit online newsmagazine.
*We welcome contributors from all walks of MBU life, regardless of your major. Reach out to us on Twitter at: @mbutimeline.
Orlando Olivera watches a hit during a game. During his tenure at Missouri Baptist University, Olivera won consecutive All-American awards and set multiple school records before being drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals. Olivera returned to MBU as an assistant coach for the 2019 season. Photo courtesy of MBU Athletics
