Jason Coulie '00 accomplished the rare feat of winning four varsity letters in football, indoor and outdoor track, and baseball — all in a single academic year at Bates. He ran his first indoor season as a junior, earning All-New England honors in the 200-meter dash, and decided to run track and play baseball last spring. The double-duty didn't stop him from helping set the school record in the 400-meter dash or catching the eye of major league scouts.

Coming to Bates was an easy choice for Coulie — it was the one school whose coaches showed interest. In 1995, Coulie was a five-foot-ten, 160-pound, third-string receiver at Manchester (N.H.) Central High School who ran a 4.8 40-yard dash. His academics were solid, and the Bobcats decided to take a chance. "I jumped at it. I was thrilled to be recruited," said Coulie, who has grown to six-foot-two, 195 pounds.

Coulie, who hit home runs of more than 400 feet and showed a 90-mph arm from the outfield at recent invitation-only tryouts, earned a minor league contract offer from the Cincinnati Reds. "The scouts put a lot of pressure on me to sign. They're out there to do their jobs, but they don't know what kind of education you can get at Bates," said Coulie, who has decided that playing professional baseball can wait while he earns a degree in English.