Honors
· 2013 All-SEC Freshman
Career Game Highs
Hits: 4, 3/29 vs. Tennessee
Runs: 4, 4/20/13 at Georgia
RBI: 6, 6/1 vs. Radford
Walks: *2, last 4/4 at Georgia
HRs: 2, 4/20/13 at Georgia
Strikeouts: *3, last 4/17 at South Carolina
Stolen Bases: *2, last 3/14 vs. Arkansas G1
COACH CORBIN QUOTE: Ever since Zander landed on campus, he has experienced great growth in every phase. On the baseball field, Z has really grown into a dangerous player. He has taken ownership of his experience and worked very hard to be the player that he is. Offensively, Zander has a chance to be a premium player – he impacts the game with hitting skill, power and his base running. He has also turned into one of most consistent defensive players that we have.
2015 – Named to Nashville NCAA Regional All-Tournament team… Drove in a career-high six runs vs. Radford 6/1 in NCAA Regional championship game going 4-for-6 with his 13th homer of the season… Walked and went 0-for-4 in win against Indiana 5/30… Scored a run and went 0-for-4 in NCAA Tournament win over Lipscomb 5/29… Named to the SEC All-Tournament team for hitting .263 with a home run, six RBI and five runs scored… Went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in loss to Florida 5/24 in SEC Tournament Championship game… Scored three runs and hit his 12th home run of the season in SEC Tournament win over Texas A&M 5/23… Drove in four runs for the fourth time this season with a 3-for-5 game vs. Alabama 5/22 with doubles… Went 0-for-4 in loss to Texas A&M 5/21… Singled and scored in SEC Tournament win over Missouri 5/20… Went 0-for-4 in loss at Alabama 5/16… Drove in two runs with a pair of hits in win at Alabama 5/15… Went 0-for-3 in win at Alabama 5/14… Singled twice and drove in a run in win over Vanderbilt 5/12… Went 0-for-4 with a run scored in loss to Florida 5/9… Smashed his 11th home run of the season to match Rhett Wiseman for the team lead going 2-for-4 with two runs scored in loss to Florida 5/8… Doubled and scored first run of the win over Florida 5/7… Picked up two extra-base hits and two RBI in win at Kentucky 5/3 with a RBI-double and solo homer… Singled twice and stole a base for the third straight game in loss at Kentucky 5/2… Stole a base for the second straight game going 1-for-5 with a run scored in win at Kentucky 5/1… Singled and stole a base in loss at Belmont 4/28… Named the National Player of the Week by Collegiate Baseball, SEC Player of the Week and TSWA Player of the Week after hitting .467 (7-for-15) with three home runs and eight RBI, including his third grand slam of the season with home runs in three straight games… Hit a home run for the third straight day to help sweep Missouri 4/26 going 2-for-4 with two runs scored… Smashed a home run for the second straight game with his third grand slam of the season, going 2-for-4 with four RBI and two runs scored in win over Missouri 4/25… Belted his seventh homer of the season with a two-run shot in the third inning vs. Missouri 4/24 scoring two runs in win… Smashed a RBI-double in his second at-bat of the night vs. MTSU 4/21 stealing his sixth base later in the game… Went 0-for-4 at South Carolina 4/18 to end weekend series 1-for-13… Struck out three times for the second straight game going 0-for-4 in loss at South Carolina 4/17… Doubled and scored in win at South Carolina 4/16… Singled twice and stole a base in loss to Belmont 4/14… Struck out twice and went 0-for-4 in loss to Ole Miss 4/11… Went 0-for-7 with two strikeouts in loss to Ole Miss 4/10… Walked and singled in win over Ole Miss 4/9… Knocked in the lone run in loss to Lipscomb 4/7 going 2-for-3… Singled and scored in win at Georgia 4/5… Scored two runs and went 2-for-3 in win at Georgia 4/4… Chipped in two hits in win at Georgia 4/3… Smashed his team-best sixth home run of the season and added a sac fly to push his RBI total to SEC-leading 35 in win over Wofford 4/1… Went 0-for-3 with a walk vs. Wofford 3/31… Earned his second SEC Player of the Week award after going 7-for-15 with eight runs and seven RBI over four games… Racked up a career-high four hits with two doubles and his team-best fifth homer driving in four runs and scoring three more in win over Tennessee 3/29… Struck out twice and scored a run vs. Tennessee 3/28… Scored two runs and went 1-for-3 in win vs. Tennessee 3/27… Bases loaded double capped seven-run eighth inning in win at MTSU 3/24 going 2-for-4 with two runs… Knocked in a run for the fourth straight game in nightcap win at Auburn 3/21 going 2-for-6… Cranked his second homer in as many days driving in three runs in first doubleheader win at Auburn 3/21… Belted his third home run of the season with a solo shot to left in loss at Auburn 3/20… Walked twice and scored twice in win over Tennessee Tech 3/17… Went 0-for-3 in win over Arkansas 3/15… Picked up two hits and scored a run in win over Arkansas 3/14 in second game of DH… Singled twice and stole two bases in comeback win over Arkansas 3/14 in first game of DH… Drove in a run for the fourth straight game in win over Quinnipiac going 1-for-3 with a double… RBI-single pushed his hitting streak to six games in win over Quinnipiac 3/10… Singled twice and drove in a run in Dodger Stadium College Baseball Classic against TCU 3/8… Reached base four times with a career-high three hits and a walk, driving in a run in loss at USC 3/7… Singled in victory at UCLA 3/6… Singled twice and drove in a run in win over Evansville 3/3… Named co-SEC Player of the Week and TSWA Player of the Week for his five-game stretch driving in 11 runs with two grand slams… Smashed his second grand slam of the week going 3-for-5 with three runs scored in win over Illinois State 3/1… Went 0-for-2 in win over Illinois State 2/28… Knocked in a pair of runs in win over Illinois State 2/27 scoring twice and walking twice… Matched a career-best with five RBI and belted a grand slam to complete comeback victory over Western Kentucky 2/25, first Commodore to drive in five runs since he did it in his first career start at Georgia 4/20/13… Scored twice in win over UT-Martin 2/24… Knocked in a run for the second straight game against Indiana State 2/22 in Port Charlotte, Fla. despite going 0-for-3… Singled twice and drove in a run in loss to Indiana State 2/21… Went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in win vs. Indiana State 2/20 in Port Charlotte, Fla…. Scored twice and doubled in win over Santa Clara 2/14… Drove in two runs and went 1-for-3 in first game of doubleheader vs. Santa Clara 2/14… Singled and scored in opening day win over Santa Clara 2/13.
2014 – Went 0-for-3 in national championship clinching win over Virginia 6/25… Went 0-for-3 with a run scored for the third straight game in loss to Virginia 6/24 in CWS Finals… Scored a run and pushed a run across in CWS Finals win over Virginia 6/23… Walked twice and scored a run in win over Texas 6/21 to advance to CWS Finals… Went 0-for-3 with a walk in loss to Texas 6/20 at College World Series… Drove in a pair of runs and went 2-for-4 in win over UC Irvine at College World Series… Singled in College World Series win over Louisville 6/14… Scored two runs and drove in a run in win over Stanford 6/8 in Super Regional… Singled twice and stole a base in loss to Stanford 6/7 in Super Regional… Drove in two runs and went 1-for-3 in Super Regional victory over Stanford 6/6… Walked twice and scored a run in win vs. Oregon 6/1 in NCAA Regional championship game… Drove in a run and scored a run in win over Oregon 5/31… Knocked in two runs and went 1-for-3 in win over Xavier 5/30 in NCAA Regional… Struck out twice and went 0-for-3 in loss to Ole Miss 5/22 at SEC Tournament… Went 0-for-3 vs. LSU 5/21… Doubled in win over Tennessee 5/20 at SEC Tournament… Drove in a run for the fifth straight game and posted his third straight two-hit game in loss to South Carolina 5/17… Launched his team-best fifth home run of the season and second in three games in win over South Carolina 5/16 driving in three runs and score two more… Drove in a run with a double vs. South Carolina 5/15, scored two runs and matched a career-best with two stolen bases, has five RBI and six runs scored in last four games… Smashed his second home run in his last five games with a two-run shot in win vs. SEMO 5/13… Started the Commodores’ big offensive output with a two-run single in eight-run first inning at Florida 5/10… Matched a career-best with three hits in win at Florida 5/9… Struck out three times at Florida 5/8, second three strikeout game in his last three… Belted his third home run of the season going 2-for-3 vs. Louisville 5/6… Matched a career-high with three strikeouts at Missouri 5/4… Big two-run triple in third inning helped lead VU to win at Missouri 5/3… Singled in win at Missouri 5/2… Smashed his second home run of the season with a solo shot, driving in three runs in win vs. Georgia 4/27… Scored two runs in win over Georgia 4/26… Singled in a run and scored a run vs. Georgia 4/25… Struck out twice and went 0-for-4 against Memphis 4/22… Came off the bench to go 1-for-2 with a single at Arkansas 4/20… Singled up the middle at Arkansas 4/18… Scored a season-best three runs going 2-for-3 with three RBI and two walks in win over MTSU 4/15… Went 0-for-3 against Texas A&M 4/13… Back in the lineup as the DH vs. Texas A&M 4/12 went 0-for-2 with a sac bunt… Left the game with an arm injury after going 0-for-1 at Tennessee 4/5… Went 0-for-4 in win at Tennessee 4/4… Came off the bench to go 1-for-1 in win over UT-Martin 4/1… Went 0-for-3 in win over Kentucky 3/30… Went 0-for-4 against Kentucky 3/29… Singled and struck out twice in loss to Kentucky 3/28… Went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in win over Belmont 3/25… Singled and stole a base at Mississippi State 3/23… Doubled and drove in two runs at Mississippi State 3/22… Knocked in a run with a sac fly in loss at Mississippi State 3/21… Walked and singled at Belmont 3/18… Singled and scored in win over LSU 3/15 G2… Stole two bases and tripled against LSU 3/15 G1… Doubled and stole his fourth base in the last four games in loss to LSU 3/14… Scored two runs going 2-for-3 with one RBI and two stolen bases in win over Eastern Illinois 3/11… Drove in a run with a sac fly but went 0-for-2 vs. Winthrop 3/9… Singled in a run going 1-for-5 vs. Winthrop 3/8… Doubled in win over Winthrop 3/7… Went 0-for-3 at MTSU 3/5… Blasted his first homer of the season with a solo shot off the left field scoreboard vs. Tennessee Tech 3/4 going 2-for-2… Scored two runs and went 1-for-3 in win over Stanford 3/2… Walked twice and scored a run against Stanford 3/1… Singled to extend his hitting streak to five games in win over Stanford 2/28… Doubled for the third straight game in loss to Evansville 2/26 going 1-for-5 with a run scored… Doubled off the left field wall to drive in the Dores’ only two runs in loss to WKU 2/25, four RBI and three doubles in last two games… Smashed two doubles and drove in two runs while going 3-for-4 in win over UIC 2/23… Singled and scored as part of game-winning rally against UIC 2/22… Scored two runs in win over UIC 2/21… Drove in three runs going 2-for-4 in win over Lipscomb 2/19… Doubled and scored in win at Long Beach State 2/16, finished opening weekend with three extra-base hits… Doubled and tripled in win at Long Beach State 2/15… Reached base three times in the opener at Long Beach State going 1-for-3 with a walk and hit by pitch.
2013 – Emerged as an offensive power threat late in the season hitting five home runs and driving in 27 runs in 33 games to earn Freshman All-SEC honors… Drove in the Commodores’ lone run in Super Regional loss to Louisville 6/9 belting his fifth home run of the season with a solo shot… Fouled out as a pinch hitter vs. Louisville 6/8 in Super Regional… Went 0-for-3 in loss to Georgia Tech 6/2 at NCAA Tournament… Singled three times to match a career-high with one RBI in NCAA Tournament win vs. Illinois 6/1… Tagged as All-SEC Freshman team member… Went 0-for- 4 with one RBI in SEC Tournament Championship Game loss to LSU 5/26… Matched a career-best with three hits in SEC Tournament win vs. Mississippi State 5/25 driving in three runs… Singled twice against Texas A&M 5/24 at SEC Tournament… Went -for-4 in SEC Tournament loss to Texas A&M 5/22… Bounced a two-run double off the wall late in win over Alabama 5/18… Struck out once and went 0-for-3 in win at Kentucky 5/12… Went 0-for-4 in doubleheader sweep win at Kentucky 5/11… Drove in three runs in his 10th start in win at Kentucky 5/11 bringing his total to 18 in 10 starts… Knocked in a run for the eight time in his last nine games with a RBI-single in win vs. Presbyterian 5/8… Singled three times to match his career-best driving in two runs in win at South Carolina 5/4… Went 0-for-3 in win at South Carolina 5/3… Doubled in two runs in win over Mississippi State 4/28 marking the sixth straight game to have at least one RBI… Singled in a run in win vs. Mississippi State 4/27 going 2-for-4… Knocked in a run for the fourth straight game with a sacrifice fly against Mississippi State 4/26… Hit his third home run in as many starts with a two-run shot at Louisville 4/23… Earned his second straight start at Georgia 4/21 doubling in a run in his first at-bat of the game… Posted a career day in his first career start going 3-for-3 with two home runs, a double, four runs and five RBI in win at Georgia 4/20 G2… Struck out against Missouri 4/14… Picked up his first career hit with a single in win over Missouri 4/13… Went 0-for-2 as the team’s DH in win at Oregon 3/9… Popped up as a pinch hitter against Monmouth 2/24… Flew out in his only at-bat against Monmouth 2/23… Drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in his first collegiate at-bat against Central Arkansas 2/20.
2012 – Redshirted during his freshman campaign.
HIGH SCHOOL – 2011 First team All-District, All-Region, All-Mid-State and All-State… 2010 First team All-District and Region, Second team All-Mid-State… 2009 First team All-District and Region… 2010 team was District runner-up… 2009 team was District and Region champs and state tournament participant… Lettered three years in baseball and one in basketball.
ACADEMICS – Wiel is majoring in communication studies.
PERSONAL – Alexander McBrayer Wiel (wheel)… Born 1/11/93… Son of Connie and Randy Wiel… Nickname is Taste… Father played and coached basketball at North Carolina and was head basketball coach at UNC-Asheville and Middle Tennessee State… Favorites include Giancarlo Stanton (baseball player), Atlanta Braves (baseball team), bagel bites (late night snack)… Oddest talent is beatboxing… Multi-talented is the one word he would use to describe himself… Roommates with Tyler Ferguson and Bryan Reynolds… Chose Vanderbilt because of Coach Corbin, who always struck him as a coach who not only made kids better baseball players but better men as well.