Matt Kaighin is one of three seniors on the baseball team for DC in 2011 and the only senior pitcher. Kaighin led DC in wins and starts as a junior.

Now is your chance to get to know Matt Kaighin away from the diamond, as we go beyond the box score with the senior hurler.

20 Questions With Matt Kaighin

1-When did you begin playing baseball? I started playing baseball when I was in first grade, at the t-ball level. 

2-What has been the highlight of your athletic career so far? I would have to say starting the year 3-0 last year in my first four starts on the mound. 

3-What are your goals for the 2011 season? As a team, I want to make it to the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament. Individually, I want to win eight games and have an earned-run average of 3.00 or lower.

4-Who is your funniest teammate? That is a tough question. I would have to say Nick Welling.

5-Do you have any nicknames? "Matty-K". People have called me that since the eighth grade.

6-What three words best describe you? Competitive.

7-What is your favorite restaurant? Applebee's or the Olive Garden.

8-Who is your biggest hero? My father, Steve Kaighin. 

9-Dream vacation spot? Bahamas. 

10-What is the top song currently on your iPod? "Bring Me Down", by Mike Posner.

11-Who was your childhood sports hero? Omar Vizquel. I wanted to play shortstop just like him. 

12-Do you have any superstitions or pre-game routines? Yes, I put chapstick on before every inning I pitch. Do not ask me why, it just became a habit. I also jump over the lines when I go out to the mound.

13-If you could trade places with anyone for one day, who would it be? The president. Just to see what he has to go through in a day.

14-What is your favorite TV show? Right now it is "Skins" on MTV. But I watch "SportsCenter" more than anything. 

15-What is something most people do not know about you? I have three older sisters. 

16-What is your biggest fear? Spiders. I hate them. 

17-Besides your own, what is your favorite sport to watch at Defiance? Basketball and volleyball. I used to play basketball in high school and I love watching the guys here play. I like watching volleyball here because I grew up watching my sisters play.

18-What is your favorite class or professor at DC and why? My favorite class at DC is Secondary School Activities with Coach Rutter. It was a really fun class and I learned about some new sports. 

19-What are your plans after graduating from DC? Going back to Toledo and continuing to work for the Lucas County Workforce Development Agency. 

20-How has playing collegiate athletics at DC helped you in life? Playing baseball here at DC has helped me in many ways. I feel that I have become a leader on and off the field. Playing baseball has made me more responsible and has given me a sense of accountability. Also, I feel that my communication skills and the ability to work with others has developed greatly due to playing. I think that will only benefit me in the future when I am in the real world.