Campus Newcomer: Southeastern CC INF Kooper Schulte

We continue on with the Iowa Baseball campus newcomers series, with Southeastern CC transfer infielder Kooper Schulte. A native of New London, IA, Schulte spent his freshman year at Central Arizona CC, before transferring to Southeastern CC this past season.

As a freshman at Central Arizona, Schulte batted .242, with a .343 on-base percentage, including four doubles, one home run and 13 RBI’s. He spent the 2023 summer with the Burlington Bees in the Prospect League, where he batted .373 in 19 games, with eight doubles and ten RBI’s.

This past season at Southeastern, Kooper batted .317, with a .467 on-base percentage, including 14 doubles, two triples, eight home runs, 45 RBI’s and 17 stolen bases for a Blackhawks team that advanced to the NJCAA DII College World Series. Schulte was named a First Team All-Region 11 selection. He has spent this summer playing in the Northwoods League with the Waterloo Bucks.

B3 @KooperSchulte 2B. @SCCBlackhawksBB trail Elgin CC 5-4 pic.twitter.com/tJJW0BCOCm

— John Behn (@john_behn) February 23, 2024

We caught up with the 6-foot-1, 200 pound shortstop to discuss his transfer to Iowa and preview his upcoming year with the Hawkeyes.

Q: When do you move to Iowa City and what is your excitement level like for that move in day?

SCHULTE: I move in August 3rd and I’m going to start working out with the trainers pretty early before school and practice starts this fall. Very excited to get going on being a Hawkeye and play at the same school my dad played at as well.

Q: What number do you plan on wearing and why?

SCHULTE: I’m honestly not to picky about what number I wear, but if I get to choose I would want 9 just because I wore it this past fall and felt like it fit me well.

Q: What have you been doing this summer to prepare for when you join the team?

SCHULTE: I have been playing with the Waterloo Bucks in the Northwoods League this summer playing shortstop and even pitching a little bit too, so staying busy there played about 35 games.

Q: You spent a year at Central Arizona CC and then a year at Southeastern CC, what have you learned from those two programs that has helped prepare you for the jump to DI baseball?

SCHULTE: I think what I have learned most is winning and what it takes to be successful. We have won a lot of games over the past two years and playing with great players has helped me work harder and compete at a high level. Been fortunate enough to be coached by great coaches as well at both schools and I know I’m getting the same here at Iowa.

Q: You earned First Team All-Region honors last season, how exciting was it to get that type of an honor in just your second year of college baseball?

SCHULTE: It was pretty awesome to receive that honor this past spring. I was just trying to do my part and help the team as much as I could and when you do that I believe those types of things work out by themselves in the end.

Q: Your batting average took a big jump last season, where do you feel like you’ve improved the most as a hitter over your two years in college?

SCHULTE: I believe what helped me the most was understanding my strengths more and what makes me successful in the box. I was pretty immature my freshman year I felt like and having a plan and sticking too it was helped me. Also seeing more high level pitching has helped my tremendously as well.

Q: Looking back at your recruitment out of the transfer portal, what stood out about the Iowa Baseball program that made them an easy choice over other schools?

SCHULTE: Being an in-state guy playing at Iowa has always been a goal of mine but more importantly, Iowa is a very successful program ran by the best of the best. The coaches are awesome, it’s a winning environment, it was a no brainer for me at the end of the day.

Q: Were there any other teams that you heavily considered during your recruitment?

SCHULTE: I was talking to a few other schools during this time, but I pretty much already had my mind made up on where I wanted to go. Being close to home and all of the other factors involved, I knew Iowa was the right spot.

Q: What is your relationship like with the coaching staff? Who do you talk with the most?

SCHULTE: I talk to Marty Sutherland the most, he has been talking to me ever since I was in high school, so I would say him and I have a pretty good relationship. As far as Coach Heller, he says it how it is and I respect that and excited to be coached by one of the best coaches out there.

Q: Have you gotten a chance to talk with any of the current players on team? What is your relationship like with them?

SCHULTE: My roommate Caleb Wulf, who I played with at Southeastern have a great relationship, one of my best friends are excited to get going. Along with some other guys who I played travel ball with growing up like Gable Mitchell and I also played with Ben Wilmes, Sam Hart, and Gannon Archer this summer with the Bucks.

Q: If someone asked you “what do you bring to the Iowa team?” How would you describe your game?

SCHULTE: I would say my defense is my strong suit, it’s always been the most important part of my game and if my offense keeps progressing like it has been then that’s a plus too.

Q: Where does the coaching staff see you fitting in with the team?

SCHULTE: I believe the coaching staff sees me fitting in as a middle infielder or possibly third baseman who has had college baseball experience. Also have been talking about pitching as well as I have been pretty successful this summer with that so we will see how that goes.