Athletes Of The Week: Rowan Watt

A state champion and team leader, Wayne Country Day’s Rowan Watt has done great things for the school’s baseball program.

On a Chargers team loaded with talent, Watt was the team’s unquestioned leader, and his coaches and teammates did not take his production, versatility, and energy for granted.

“It feels awesome, and it’s something that you dream of,” Watt said about winning a state title. “It’s just a big moment for the entire team.”

Watt has played baseball for most of his life, and his father is University of Mount Olive head baseball coach Rob Watt.

And spending time around one of the best DII baseball programs in the country for most of his life has paid dividends and helped him evolve to where he is now.

Watt joined the Chargers two seasons ago, and he and his teammates quickly bonded on and off the field. However, Watt’s junior season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Chargers were 4-0 before the season was cut short, and losing the season was painful for Watt and his teammates, but they used their pain as fuel for this season.

This season the Chargers became even more of a family, and Watt made sure the younger athletes feel heard and respected.

“We all got a lot closer this season,” Watt said. “This entire group was awesome.”

Watt’s leadership was on display every day through the way he carries himself, and it’s also on display in the fact that he won the leadership award at the Wayne Country Day’s award banquet.

“Everyone was together all the time, always doing something together,” Watt said. “Everyone was such good teammates.”

Watt, who committed to play baseball at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, had a terrific senior season.

He had a .434 batting average, 35 RBIs, eight home runs, six doubles, and two triples. On the mound, Watt tossed 13 strikeouts.

And as a team, the Chargers had a 19-1 overall record and won their first state championship since 2007. In their five playoff games, the Chargers outscored their opponents 69-1.

“I think whenever you only allow one run in the playoffs, that kind of gives a little bit of dominance over the other teams,” Watt said.

Watt has been a terrific leader this season and has put lots of effort into unifying the team. He helps lead the team through both his words and actions, and he worked hard to make sure the Chargers accomplished their goals, especially after missing last year.