Major: Political Science
Hometown: Tiburon, CA
Career Highlights: Two-year letter winner for Baseball;Â WCC 1993, and 1994 Honors List.
Biography: Merkin transferred to the Hilltop from the College of Marin where he was 5-1 with a 2.51 ERA as a sophomore, while also hitting .311. Merklin was tough to beat when he kept the fastball down and threw the breaking ball for a strike. As a prep athlete he was a three-time All-League baseball player at Marin Catholic. He was named All-State, and Marin County Player of the Year after finishing 13-1 with a 1.10 ERA. Merklin was a right-handed relief pitcher for the USF baseball team in 1993 and 1994. In his debut against San Jose State he allowed only one run in five innings.
Why Merklin Chose USF: "USF was close to home, so my parents could attend the games."
Favorite USF Memories: "I loved the team building with guys from all over the west. We were not very successful on the field, but very close as a team off the field. Those years were the turning point in the program and it was really the result of the guys coming together despite the sub .500 record. I'm still close with several of those teammates today."
The USF Student-Athlete Experience: "The best thing about being a student-athlete at USF was developing lifelong friendships with my teammates."
Life After USF: Merklin is a General Manager for Live Oak Bank, headquartered in Wilmington, NC.
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