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Matthew Chamberlain �Ӱ�ԭ��21 says he has been training his entire life for a career in sports.

The North Branford, Conn., native fondly remembers playing tee ball as a child, a hobby that became a passion for baseball as a teenager. As a junior in high school, Chamberlain, who also played hockey and football, decided to focus on baseball.

"I�Ӱ�ԭ��m passionate about athletics in general,�Ӱ�ԭ�� said Chamberlain, who plays centerfield on the University�Ӱ�ԭ��s team. �Ӱ�ԭ��Baseball was my greatest passion, and I wanted to pursue that passion as a student-athlete in college."

He says it was the coaching staff at the University that drew him to Charger Nation. As a student-athlete, he says winning the championship his first year is one of his favorite memories. He has also had many memorable opportunities to come together with his fellow Chargers to show their Charger Pride.

"I immediately felt at home at the University," said Chamberlain. "Looking back, I�Ӱ�ԭ��m happy with the decision I made to become a Charger. I enjoy being part of the athletic community and supporting the University�Ӱ�ԭ��s other sports teams. It brings everyone together and brings out everyone�Ӱ�ԭ��s school spirit."

A nutrition and dietetics major, Chamberlain has had many meaningful experiences off the field as well. A member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and the University�Ӱ�ԭ��s "Health Nuts" Club, Chamberlain also connected with the local community as part of his "Community Nutrition" class, spending many evenings volunteering at a local soup kitchen.

Fascinated by the power of food to boost one�Ӱ�ԭ��s athletic performance, Chamberlain credits professors such as Georgia Chavent M.S., R.D. with feeding his passion for learning about health and a well-balanced diet �Ӱ�ԭ�� something he hopes base his career on.

"I love that food can have an important impact for athletes on the field and in their overall health," he said. "I hope to become a sports nutritionist for a major league team. I would love to work with ."

But first, Chamberlain, who earned a spot on the Northeast-10 Conference�Ӱ�ԭ��s first team as a junior and was selected to the all-star game last summer, hopes to pursue a career in baseball, following in the footsteps of nearly 100 Chargers who have played professionally. Earlier this spring, he trained in North and South Carolina, and he has competed competitively during the summers with athletes from Division I teams. He says he has interacted with scouts from 10 MLB teams.

Unfortunately, COVID-19 has thrown all student-athletes a curveball, but Chamberlain is taking it in stride. Although he won�Ӱ�ԭ��t be playing this season because of the pandemic, he will have the opportunity to play for the Chargers next spring as a graduate student, after completing his bachelor's degree in the fall, and he hopes to keep playing baseball as much as he can.

"I hope to keep playing on a local team, and I need to stay ready,�Ӱ�ԭ�� he said. �Ӱ�ԭ��Even if I don�Ӱ�ԭ��t play on an MLB team, I would like to still play professional baseball in another league."