{"articleDetail":{"publishDateDisplay":"March 27, 2026","summary":"After a season-ending injury, Marco Chenet ’28 returns stronger to help lead a rising Geneva baseball program, bolstered by plans for a new turf field to support its growth.","image":"site://geneva.edu/stories/_assets/marco-chenet-header.jpg","tagItems":"[Athletics, Campaigns, Foundation, Business, Student Experience, Baseball]","articleText":"As Marco Chenet ‘28 rounded third base for the first time after a season-ending injury on the same play the prior spring, his lingering apprehension cleared. His strength training and practice in the offseason showed its worth, and he physically (and mentally) passed the barrier holding him back in the first game of the 2026 baseball season. Though only in his sophomore year at Geneva College, Marco’s history with the sport — and with Geneva — stretches back much further.  \nHis dad, Rob Chenet ‘96, played baseball during his own time at Geneva. Under the leadership of Coach Alan Sumner ‘85, the team was then in the NAIA and even traveled to two World Series in Rob'apos;s freshman (1993) and senior (1996) seasons.   \n\nMarco Chenet rounds third base, overcoming the lingering hesitation from his previous injury.\n\nMarco picked up baseball early, playing T-ball as early as three years old. He shares, “[My dad has] been my number one go-to for everything in my life. He taught me well... I’ve been playing baseball for 16 years now, and I’ve been playing outfield for probably 13 of that. He’s been my number one supporter. He pushes me the hardest, he really knows me and knows the game.” \nBut, for a time, both continuing baseball and choosing Geneva were uncertain.  \nAfter playing for over a decade, Marco debated whether or not to continue baseball at all as he approached the end of his high school career. He remembers, “I didn’t want to go sit on a roster of 70 guys. I didn’t want to try to walk on somewhere.” Instead, he had a desire to have a strong education while still having meaningful playing time and the opportunity to impact his team.  \nAs a prospective student considering Geneva, Marco recognized that he could compete right away, a smaller roster would mean opportunity for development and impact, and he would be known and not just recruited. “[At Geneva] I’d get a good education, I’d get to play baseball... Whenever I told [my dad] I was making this decision, he was happy.” \nMarco chose the CPA track accounting-finance major at Geneva. He reflects that his academic advisor and other professors work well with him, his teammates, and other student-athletes to help them balance academics and athletics. \nLast year, Marco was the only freshman to play varsity regularly. His first challenge was a rough mid-season hitting stretch. But Coach Sumner kept him in the lineup, and he slowly learned “not to spiral” after bad games. Marco made 25 starts, primarily in left field, and earned two PAC Newcomer of the Week awards. \nThen, 25 games in, he tore his hamstring. For the first time in his life, he wasn’t on the field. “I didn’t know what to do with myself,” he says. But instead of disengaging, he found another way to serve. Quickly, he began charting stats and helping hitters instead of sitting idle. \nMarco’s injury took him off the field for the rest of the spring 2025 season. During the offseason, he worked on preventative strengthening measures while also significantly adapting and improving his swing. \nOn coming back from his injury, he shares, “At first I was a little scared, like I wasn’t running bases 100%, I wasn’t diving for balls in practice. I still had a mental block. Then we played our fall game against Penn State Beaver. I was on second base and there was a ball hit for the outfield and I had to try and score. I went and I rounded third. Once I rounded third and I felt fine, I was like ‘Oh, I’m good.’ And that was the exact play I got hurt on... once I did that I was fine and the block went away.” \nGolden Tornadoes’ Baseball Field Turf Project \nFor student-athletes like Marco who are pursuing a strong education as well as meaningful time on the field, sport facilities matter. Geneva’s 33rd Street Field has remained essentially unchanged since the late 1980s as a grass and dirt field. The baseball team is regularly unable to practice outdoors until after their spring break when the weather has turned. “Even during the spring, we have rain days when we can’t go out there,” says Marco.  \nThe state of the facilities affects recruitment, as well. As a Division III sports team with no athletic scholarships, potential student-athletes compare facilities as they consider where they want to play. The current field limits early-season practice and causes season frustrations due to rainouts and rescheduled games. \nNow, there’s a plan to upgrade the field to enable better practice and play. \n\nArtists’ rendering of new turf on the infield at Geneva'apos;s 33rd St. Field\n\nThanks to Geneva baseball alumni and friends, a project to replace the infield with turf is already two-thirds funded. This upgrade to an artificial turf infield will increase Geneva’s recruitment capabilities, allow for more outdoor practice time and fewer game cancellations, and enable coaches to spend more time with students rather than on facilities maintenance. For a program gaining momentum, this is a logical next step, reflecting an investment in student-athletes like Marco. \n\"quot;[The turf project] would definitely be a big help,” agrees Marco, who believes in his team’s PAC playoff potential this year. Last year was the team’s first 20-win season in several years, and Marco celebrates a strong team culture. “We all want each other to succeed,” he says. “We’re all one.” \nWhile the team has struggled since making the switch to Division III play, they now have a clear upward trajectory. “We are trending in a good direction,” says Marco. “I want to make a run at the PAC playoffs... once you can do that, I feel like you can start rolling and keep it growing from there.” \nGeneva’s baseball team enters an exciting season — on the field as is, and on the field to come. Learn more about how you can join the effort to support student-athletes like Marco at genevacollegefoundation.org/baseball-turf.","author":null,"publishDate":"2026-03-27","type":"Stories","title":"Built to Compete: Marco Chenet ’28 and the Next Chapter of Geneva Baseball","imageDesc":"","url":"/article/marco-chenet-baseball","blogCategories":"","id":"1ffc5743ac0a240426ac607da94b109a","detailUrl":"/stories/2026/03/marco-chenet-baseball.json","sourcePath":null,"slug":"marco-chenet-baseball"}}