WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - Owen Pierce arrived at William & Mary with a clear vision: excel on the baseball field and in the classroom. For the right-hander from Fairfax, Virginia, choosing a program that valued both was non-negotiable. "That was always kind of a priority for me and that's kind of part of why I chose the school," Pierce said. "My mom's a teacher, so she was big on putting the school part first. The grades have always been ingrained in me whether I wanted it to be or not."
 
That mindset defined his four years in Williamsburg — a stretch marked by steady growth, a few unexpected setbacks, and a commitment to doing things the right way. Now, as he prepares for life after baseball with a full-time job in Boston, Pierce can see how the habits he built as a student-athlete have set the foundation for what comes next.
 
Pierce will be among 134 Tribe student-athletes to earn degrees from William & Mary this week. He will earn a Bachelor of Business Administration in Business Analytics Data Science with a concentration in sustainability.
 
Finding His Fit
 
Coming out of Chantilly High School, Pierce wasn't flooded with offers, but he had options. William & Mary emerged as the place where he could pursue both high-level baseball and a first-rate education. "Having the opportunity to go to a school that's going to give me a really, really great degree and then on top of that, I'm playing in a great baseball conference — and they're also going to cover some of my school — that was a huge deal for me and my parents," he said. "It made the decision pretty easy."
 
The Tribe saw enough in his arm and his approach to invest in him, and Pierce was determined to return the favor. When he arrived on campus, he quickly noticed a culture that matched his own ambitions. "There were a lot of older seniors that were doing the same thing," he said. "They cared a lot about playing really good, competitive baseball, but they also cared deeply about succeeding past baseball and doing everything they could in the classroom."
 
One of his early role models was Ben Williamson, now playing professionally for the Tampa Bay Rays. "He was a great student," Pierce said. "As a freshman, you come in and see a guy like that who wins Player of the Year but also cares about his grades — you couldn't ask for a better example."
 
Over his Tribe career, Pierce made 49 appearances on the mound, collecting five wins and six saves. He struck out 125 batters over his 126.1 innings and was twice named to the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Watch List.
 
Building Habits That Last
 
For Pierce, the key to managing a demanding schedule was simple: preparation and consistency. "The biggest commonality between baseball and academics is building good habits and being disciplined on those habits," he said. "Showing up to class every day, preparing for lectures, preparing for exams — it's very similar to baseball. You've got to show up with a really good attitude every day and be prepared."
 
That level of discipline didn't happen by accident. Pierce became meticulous about time management, especially when travel and games cut into his study windows. "It definitely helps when you plan ahead to the point where you know you're going to have to do an assignment on the bus," he said. "If you don't know it's coming, it's a lot more difficult. But if you knew three days ago that this hour or two on the bus is the only time you have to do this work, then you're prepared for it."
 
He carried the same intentional approach into his pitching routine. "Last year I had a really good setup where I threw once a week," he said. "I'd throw on Friday, take Saturday off, light catch Sunday, heavier on Monday, bullpen Wednesday, light Thursday, and then pitch again Friday. I had two to three lifts in between. That was perfect for me — everything planned out the same every week, and I was mentally ready."
 
Learning Through Adversity
 
That structure was disrupted late in March of his junior year, when he suffered an injury.
 
It forced him into a rhythm he wasn't used to. "It got to the point where I just had to listen to my body," he said. "I'm someone that really likes organization, so that was difficult for me — the not knowing."
 
But the experience also helped him grow. "Being forced outside your comfort zone — you tend to learn a lot about yourself," he said. "Sometimes you can abandon the organization and just enjoy things as they are. I actually think the way I've pitched this season has been better than in past years because I'm not so worried about outcomes. I knew I did everything I could, and whatever happens, happens."
 
Finding Joy in the Team
 
Despite the challenges, Pierce never lost sight of what he loved most about college baseball: the people. "I'm really lucky that I was able to stay at the same school for four years," he said. "There's a group of guys I've spent hours and hours every day with. For me, it's just awesome to be able to finish out my career with the guys I started it with."
 
The lessons extended beyond the field, too — especially in the classroom, where group projects in the business school mirrored the collaboration required in the bullpen. "There's a lot of commonalities between the two," he said. "Learning how to mesh and collaborate with different personalities — that's the skill you acquire. Getting the best out of everyone to meet the common goal."
 
Life After Baseball
 
This summer, Pierce will move to Boston to begin his career as an operations analyst at Wayfair. "It's kind of like a supply chain analytics role, so I get to use my major," he said. "I love the city. I'm a New York sports fan, so that'll be a little bit of a transition, but everything else I really like about the situation."
 
He credits William & Mary — and his experience as a student-athlete — for helping him get there. "The William & Mary brand and the skills I got from the school and baseball were essential," he said. "They helped a ton."
 
Even in his job interview, his baseball background came up. "The interviewer was a baseball fan," Pierce said. "He mentioned that they really like what student-athletes can bring to the table, so that was at least a factor in the process."
 
Looking back, Pierce knows the lessons he learned in Williamsburg will stay with him long after his final pitch. "Make a plan beforehand of what you need to do to do well, and once you've done that, let your brain rest," he said. "That way you can enjoy baseball, enjoy time with your friends, and not be so worried about something you were ready for two days ago."