Biography
2016 – Junior Season
Played in 10 games, seeing time as a starter in seven contests… Started as a designated hitter and infielder… Picked up four hits, a run scored and a RBI on the campaign… Collected a .167 slugging percentage… Drew a pair of walks… Had a .231 on-base percentage for the year… Registered a .964 fielding percentage with 22 putouts and five assists in 28 attempts… Produced a 2-for-5 performance at the plate against USF (March 1)… Added a run, an RBI and 12 putouts at first base in that game against the Bulls… Had eight putouts at first base against North Florida (March 15)… Recorded a pair of hits in four at-bats in the series finale at home against North Carolina Central (April 24)…
2015 – Sophomore Season
Played in 43 games on the year, making a start in 40 of those contests… Primarily saw action at first base and as a designated hitter… Finished second on the team with a .316 batting average… Pounded out 42 hits, adding a team-high matching 11 doubles… Also hit two home runs… Led the team with 29 runs batted in… Led the Wildcats with a .444 slugging percentage… Fielded at a .982 clip, collecting a team second-most 153 putouts, 13 assists and committing just three errors… Went 2-for-3 with three RBI and a double in the series finale at Georgia Southern (Feb. 15)… Tied a season-high with three hits, adding a run scored and a RBI against Maine (March 4)… Had a five-game hitting streak with two hits in each game from March 28 through April 3… Went 2-for-4 with a career-best five RBI in a victory at FIU (March 31)… Registered a 3-for-4 game with three RBI and a run scored, adding a double and his first home run of the year in the series-opening victory at North Carolina Central (April 11)… Had a perfect 3-for-3 outing in the home series finale against North Carolina A&T (April 19), scoring twice and adding a run driven in… Batted 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles at USF (April 22)… Had a 3-for-3 showing at the plate with four RBI, two runs and a double in the opening game of a doubleheader at Savannah State (May 2), a 10-0 victory for the Wildcats… Also had a 3-for-4 showing at the dish with three RBI against Delaware State (May 15) as part of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Championships in Salisbury, Maryland… Recorded his second home run of the year with a solo shot against Norfolk State (May 15) in the MEAC Championships, advancing the Wildcats to face the Hornets in the next game…
2014 – Freshman Season
Played in 43 games during his inaugural season at B-CU, starting 39 contests, settling into the designated hitter role while splitting time at third base... Batted .243 with four (4) doubles, while sharing the team lead with two (2) home runs... Tallied 24 RBI with 16 runs scored... Registered a .321 on-base percentage, also walking 14 times and logging a .314 slugging percentage... Against Savannah State (3/18) in the MEAC Championships, Garcia hit 2-for-3 with two (2) RBI and two (2) runs scored... Hit 3-for-5 in three contests, with a season-high three (3) RBI at North Carolina Central (4/12)... Named MEAC Rookie of the Week on April 5…
LaBelle HS
Played his high school baseball at LaBelle High School, at first base, third base and also as a pitcher under Coach Ron Dunbar... As a senior, Garcia aided the Cowboys to a District 18-4A Runner-Up finish and a Regional appearance... Batted .386 on the year with 26 RBI and eight home runs...Earned News-Press first team All-Area honors and was chosen as District Player of the Year... Additionally, we was selected as the team’s Captain and later MVP, finishing his HS career with 22 home runs, a school record... As a junior, he batted .487 with 24 RBI and two home runs... Earned first team All-Area, in addition to team awards for MVP and Offensive Player of the Year, aiding LHS to be District Runner-Up and make a Regional appearance... As a sophomore, he set the season home run (8) and batting average (.554), collecting 25 RBI and earning second team All-District... Batted .403 as a freshman, with 21 RBI and four home runs, earning All-Area honorable mention... Was a four-year varsity player for LHS... Was a four-year Scholastic Athlete, earning Cum Laude GPA his junior and senior years...Was named Student of the Year in Anatomy and Physiology, graduating with Honors…
Personal
Austin Michael Garcia was born May 9, 1995 in Hialeah, Fla. to Odalys and Jose Garcia... He has one older sibling, Jose, Jr... Outside of baseball, Garcia enjoys archery, hunting, fishing, riding ATVs and spending time with family... Chose Bethune-Cookman because he really liked the baseball program and wanted to be a Wildcat... Notes his best sports memory as breaking LaBelle High School’s single-season home run record on his late grandfather’s birthday... As part of his pregame ritual, Garcia always prays to God to keep himself, teammates and opponents safe while they play the game for Him... Cites his older brother, Jose, as his biggest influence; Jose was born with a heart murmur, but that has never stopped him from touching others with his personality and love of the game of baseball... Garcia is majoring in Physical Education and Recreation at Bethune-Cookman…
