Written by Doug Goodnough
Baseball and the accounting program were a winning recruiting formula for Troy Salvior, ’90.
The pitcher, who was a former draft pick of the St. Louis Cardinals, said the opportunity to play collegiate baseball and study under an accounting faculty legend were the deciding factors in his decision to attend Hillsdale College.
“It was Coach Riepma,” Salvior said of Pat Riepma, who was the Chargers baseball coach at the time. “He found me more so than I found Hillsdale. He was pretty intent on getting me to Hillsdale.”
Salvior, who was from nearby Michigan Center High School, said meeting Hillsdale accounting professor Dr. Febes Facey sealed the deal.
“The reputation of the accounting program and what Dr. Facey brought to the College, and the chance to play baseball and contribute as a freshman, were the main reasons,” he said.
A raw 6-foot-3-inch right-hander, Salvior had a solid freshman year pitching for the Chargers. However, he really surged as a sophomore, earning NAIA All-District 23 honors after finishing with a 5-2 record and a 2.63 earned run average. After a solid but disappointing junior year, Salvior rededicated himself to baseball.
“I maybe got a little lazy, a little content,” he said of his junior season. “My junior year didn’t go as well as I had expected, so I took that as a learning lesson. I wanted to make the most [of his senior year] and then bring out what I am capable of doing.”
The result was one of the best seasons in program history. He finished 6-2 and dominated almost everyone he faced during the 1990 season. Salvior earned wins over NCAA III powerhouse Southern Maine and Division I University of Toledo. He led NCAA Division II in earned run average, allowing just nine earned runs over 56 2/3 innings pitched. He was named team MVP, first team All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, as well as academic all-conference.
“I think strength training was a big piece of it for me,” Salvior said. “Prior to going to Hillsdale, I don’t think I officially lifted a weight in my life. My senior year, I ran a lot. I would run into downtown Hillsdale and just got myself in much better shape for my senior year.”
With a mid-90s fastball and a devastating slider, he also drew the attention of Major League Baseball scouts. In fact, he was drafted in the 21st round by the Cardinals and was quickly converted into a relief pitcher.
“I really kind of fell in love with being a closer; it’s something that I definitely enjoyed,” he said.
He dominated the lower levels of the minor leagues and was quickly promoted through the Cardinals system. In fact, he reached Double-A in his second professional season and was considered a Major League prospect, just two steps from the big leagues.
“I was shocked at the time that they were already moving me up (to Double A), even though I felt I was pitching really well,” Salvior said of the promotion. “You get a chance to go up there and you’re facing some studs.” Those “studs” included former MLB all-star first baseman Carlos Delgado and shortstop Royce Clayton.
However, a shoulder injury eventually derailed his baseball career.
“Fortunately for me, I had a good degree from Hillsdale College,” said Salvior, who worked for Ernst and Young in the offseason. “The good news is, while I was playing baseball, I was also putting my degree to work in the offseason.”
Salvior is currently the senior finance director for Quest Diagnostics, where he supervises Quest’s southeastern region, which includes North and South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and Tennessee. Salvior and his wife, Stacey, have a grown son and daughter and reside in the Tampa, Florida, area.
In September of 2023, Salvior was inducted into the Hillsdale College Athletic Hall of Fame, and he said he looks back on his days as a Charger fondly.
“It was always important for me to ensure that I got a good education, and it was one of the main reasons why I chose Hillsdale,” Salvior said. “I have a lot of fond memories of Hillsdale and my classmates, certainly baseball and my teammates. I still have great recollections of going to the football games and doing stats for the basketball and football games. It was a lot of fun.”
Doug Goodnough, ’90, is Hillsdale’s director of Alumni Marketing. He enjoys connecting with fellow alumni in new and wonderful ways.
Published in January 2024
