Athlete Of The Week: Will Albert

Long before Will Albert was a leader and vital piece for the Wayne County Post 11, he was an enthusiastic baseball player eager to compete.

Albert started baseball at around five years old, sharpened his craft during middle school, and in high school, Albert was a part of the historic 2019 Rosewood High School baseball team.

“I just love the game so much. I just enjoy working hard, hanging out with my friends, and helping the team win games,” Albert said. “It means the world to me, and it’s always fun playing for something you care about, like Post 11 or Rosewood.”

Albert, who now attends Lenoir Community College, had an impressive high school career.

He has a career .337 batting average, .482 on-base percentage, and had 41 RBIs. During his four years at Rosewood, the Eagles had a 64-20 overall record and won three Carolina 1A Conference titles.

As a junior, Albert helped the Eagles to their first state championship series, which is an impressive feat considering the Eagles had zero senior on the roster that season.

And Albert said he has fond memories of his junior season.

“It was amazing, my freshman year, we went to East regionals, and my junior year, we went to the state championship, which is something our school had never done before,” Albert said. “And the thing is I got to do it with my best friends from growing up, and that’s something I’ll never take for granted.”

Like many student-athletes, Albert lost his senior season to the COVID-19 pandemic. Albert said the loss of his senior season was difficult because the Eagles returned every starter from their 2019 team.

However, Albert persevered and is now playing baseball at Lenoir Community College. He is getting his associates’ degree in general science and plans on getting a degree in nursing.

“We thought we had another chance to make a good run in the playoffs, and unfortunately, we did get to do that,” Albert said. “Lenoir just fit well. They were looking for outfielders, and I came in and fit the spot. I just love playing baseball, and it doesn’t matter where I play.

“I get to meet new friends and coaches. It’s just really awesome.”

Albert has also spent the past few summers playing for Wayne County Post 11. He has had a blast playing for Post 11 and getting another chance to play baseball with some of his friends from high school.

Most importantly, Albert finally gets to play on the same team with his younger brother, Davis Albert, and playing baseball with his younger brother is a dream come true.

“My senior year, we were supposed to play together, and unfortunately, we did not, so getting to play together now has been awesome and a dream come true,” Albert said. “We worked our tails off in the backyard, and playing together is something we always wanted to do.

“I’ve got his back, and he’s got mine.”