Vanguard University

The athlete:  Derek returns for his final go-around at Vanguard…started in 40 of 43 games played batting .217 with 15 runs scored, 15 RBIs and a homer…solid year at the plate as a sophomore as he led the team with a .352 batting average in 32 games as a starter…played a total of 38 games scoring 26 runs on 44 hits with a team-high tying three triples…also smacked four homers while driving in 23…made 11 appearances on the mound notching one victory…had a solid freshman season, playing in 30 games and starting 20 contests…also made eight appearances on the mound, pitching 35.2 innings with a 2-2 record…hit .273 with 21 hits while splitting time at first base…came to VUSC from Tesoro High School in Las Flores, California…2005 graduate who played for Coach Rick Brail at THS…was a three-time All-Sea View League selection…second-team All-CIF choice…also played football in high school…had a 21-game hitting streak in high school…bats left…throws left…has played baseball since he was four years old…good size…good hitter from the left side.

The person:  Derek was born on June 1, 1987 in Mission Viejo, California…parents are Michael and Teresa Craddock…has two brothers and a sister…is a Business Administration major at Vanguard…sports hero is Hank Aaron…loves to eat ribs and go to “Taco Bell”…favorite movie is “The Incredibles”…likes to watch “Las Vegas” on TV…loves the color blue and the number three…favorite Bible verse is Galatians 5:1…roots for the Oklahoma Sooners…likes snowboarding…learned life is hard…most respects his dad, he’s a good guy…says integrity is the most important characteristic for a person to have…baseball has taught him discipline…career goal is to succeed.

His thoughts:  What I like most about Vanguard is the environment.