EMMA ASHER
“It really was a dream come true,” he says.
That sporty theme continued after Kuehn became the president of the Columbia University Society for Baseball Research last year. Now in its sixth year, the club recently entered a new phase of growth with a partnership between Lions baseball and the SABRLions, a subgroup of CUSBR that builds data analytics tools for the varsity team’s players and coaches. Membership has more than doubled under Kuehn’s leadership, and he’s excited to continue serving as president through the next academic year.
“New York is a really special city. We have the Major League head office here as well as multiple teams,” he says. “Columbia should be part of this baseball hub.”
Kuehn says he’s excited to watch fellow Oklahoman Jackson Holliday’s second year with the Baltimore Orioles and is looking forward to seeing the Lions (he hopes) take home the Ivy League baseball championship this spring. A political science major from Sand Springs, Okla., he is also passionate about the performing arts and tries to catch shows in the city whenever he can.
How does someone from Oklahoma become a diehard New York Mets fan?
When he was growing up, my stepdad picked which baseball team he rooted for based on who was doing the worst at the time. So I’ve always been a Mets fan just from my family. My first game was at the 2015 World Series in Kansas City. There aren’t many Mets fans in Oklahoma, so getting to go to New York was a dream. I think for most of my freshman year I spent more time at Citi Field than I did in class just because I was so excited to finally be close enough to go to games.
What are CUSBR meetings like?
We usually meet once a week. Each meeting looks a bit different, depending on whether we have a guest speaker or are watching a game. With each meeting, we’re either trying to grow our own research and analytics skills or bring in a professional to provide guidance on what a career in the sports industry looks like. But we still keep it very casual. One event after winter break was a Wii baseball night, and we also have our fantasy baseball league. I think what’s made it so special is that we have opportunities for people who want to spend all of their time on baseball analytics, but other opportunities for people who are more interested in baseball history. And we have a few members who just want to chat about what happened in a game that week, so we have opportunities for them, too. It’s been a really great community to build.
Tell me more about the SABRLions.
We’ve been developing a website that will have all of the baseball team’s analytics and be a home for all of its data. We haven’t had a centralized hub for all of it before now. There are tools that can evaluate strength, speed and other measurements for pitching and field alignment. We’re working on condensing those large datasets and getting it into the coaches’ and players’ hands.
What does your role as president of CUSBR entail?
I’m responsible for recruitment, keeping members engaged, planning meetings, and connecting with alumni and speakers. We’ve also had some neat opportunities: Another member and I got to help the Boston Red Sox with one of its pro scouting events. So I also help coordinate those opportunities. I oversee the SABRLions and serve as the main point of contact between the baseball team and our group.
What’s your favorite class?
“Weapons of Mass Destruction,” with Szabolcs Márka. It’s been a favorite because it was one of the most challenging. I came out of it with a new understanding of nuclear weapons and some of the real dangers that sometimes get overlooked. I now have background for my political science classes, which I can bring in whenever we’re talking about how nuclear development plays into interactions between countries. That opportunity to learn outside of the explicit domain of your declared major has been one of the coolest experiences at Columbia.
What other activities are you involved in on campus?
I work with Athletics and help with our ESPN+ broadcasts. I’ve also been really interested in representing student perspectives on campus, so I’ve been active in my residence hall. And I work with Director of Academic Integrity Victoria Malaney-Brown on her student advisory board. And I’m a student conduct navigator for the Center for Student Success and Intervention; I really enjoy helping students go through those processes.
How are you taking advantage of being in NYC (aside from going to Mets games)?
I love the arts. I love being here and getting to see shows and support my friends. I have some friends from Oklahoma who are at Julliard, so getting to support them and go to their performances has been really special.