By Patrick McHugh
Huskies pitcher Kris Dabrowiecki is a challenge for opposing batters to face. Standing on the mound at 6-feet-4-inches tall, the senior has a variety of pitches in his arsenal he can use to get hitters out. He can choose what he wants to throw at a particular time and the batter has to be prepared for it.
Not just a great baseball player, Dabrowiecki can compete in almost any sport he wants. While at Ursula Franklin Academy in high school in Toronto, Dabrowiecki was an athlete in basketball, soccer and swimming as well as baseball. In 2001 he was named the school’s Athlete of the Year.
Dabrowiecki ultimately chose to focus on baseball because he believed it was his best sport and because of the influence of his hometown team, he said.
“Growing up I saw the Blue Jays win back-to-back championships in ’92 and ’93 and I was hooked on baseball,” Dabrowiecki said. “That was my first real sports memory and it made me want to keep playing baseball.”
His decision to stick with baseball allowed him to play on some big stages. In 2003 and 2004 he was a member of the Canadian Junior National Team, as well as a member of the Intercounty League Baseball champion Guelph Royals in 2004.
Later that year the Milwaukee Brewers drafted him in the 34th round of the MLB Amateur Draft. Dabrowiecki took the news as a reward for the time he dedicated to the sport.
“I was really excited obviously, but it was a relief at the same time,” he said. “I worked really hard to get to where I am and I’m just happy all that work paid off for me.”
With the tag of major league draftee, Dabrowiecki entered Northeastern in 2005 with the determination to improve his pitching to show the scouts what he could do and made a smooth transition to the Husky squad.
As a freshman in 2005 he was named to the America East All-Rookie Team while compiling a streak of 16 consecutive shutout innings. In 2006 he had his highest career strikeout total, striking out hitters 68 times. Last season he led the team in wins (7), strikeouts (59) and innings pitched (75).
Prior to the start of this season, Dabrowiecki was named one of three senior captains alongside Mike Lyon and Josh Porter. With the support of the coaching staff and his teammates, Dabrowiecki says his captaincy is a “great honor” and that he likes to be counted on.
“I just try to lead by example and be a leader on the field,” Dabrowiecki said. “More than half our team is made of freshmen and sophomores, so there are a lot of younger guys around. If anyone has questions I make myself available to answer them and do whatever’s necessary to help them.”
While pitching for the Huskies, Dabrowiecki has put himself near the top of some of Northeastern’s career statistical categories. His 20 wins are tied for third all-time, just four wins behind the school record of 24, held by Jordan Thomson who finished playing in 2004. With 24 games and the CAA tournament left in the season for the Huskies, he could get enough starts to have a chance at tying or breaking that record.
He is also fourth in innings pitched with 252.2 and eighth in strikeouts with 204.
While he hopes to enjoy a professional baseball career one day, Dabrowiecki said he is keeping his options open. Majoring in business finance and insurance, he has done co-op work for John Hancock Insurance and Brown Brothers Harriman ‘ Company, a large worldwide partnership bank.
Dabrowiecki said he likes the business field because it gives him a wide range of career opportunities and allows him to meet a lot of people. A co-worker at Brown Brothers Harriman was tied to baseball scouting and helped to get Dabrowiecki some exposure.
When his career at Northeastern is finished at the end of this season, Dabrowiecki said he will try to stay connected with his teammates, whom he says have meant the most to him throughout his days as a player.
“This is such a close team and I’ve made some good friends here,” he said. “It happens to each senior class when it’s time to leave. I’ll just try to stay in touch because I’ve had a great time being around everyone.”
