It was Feburary 1994 in Gainesville Florida. I saw this blonde haired short stop. From the first time I saw him I was like this kid is going to go some where. I met him that same year and ever since I have kept in contact thru cards at christmas.
While attending Florida, Eckstein became the only two-time Academic All-American in Gator baseball history (1996, 1997) and earned first-team All-America recognition in 1996 and third-team honors in 1997 from the National Collegiate Baseball Writers’ Association (NCBWA). A two-time All-Southeastern Conference selection (1995, 1996) and three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll (1995-97) recipient, he finished his career among the UF career top 10 in 11 categories.
Eckstein was a key component of the 1996 Florida squad that captured the SEC’s Eastern Division and regular-season titles on its way to the NCAA East Regional championship and a berth at the NCAA College World Series, where the Gators finished third. He sported a .338 batting average that year with 60 RBI and nine home runs and set single-season school records for hits (102) and at bats (302). Eckstein hit for the cycle against Georgia State on Feb. 10, the first UF player to turn the trick since 1984, and also tied the previous high-water mark of nine RBI in that outing. He established a school record with four doubles versus Bethune-Cookman on April 10 and swiped four bases in a 12-9 victory over N.C. State during the East Regional.
Over his four years donning the Orange and Blue, Eckstein played in 199 games and made 190 starts, tied for eighth on the all-time list. His career average was .340 and he still ranks among the top 10 in fielding assists (675, first), double plays (142, tied for first), hits (276, second), stolen bases (93, second), hit by pitches (41, second), runs scored (222, third), doubles (51, tied for fourth) at bats (812, fifth), total bases (412, fifth), and triples (8, tied for ninth). In addition, he led off the first inning with a homer eight times in his collegiate career. The Gators made three NCAA Tournament appearances during Eckstein’s tenure.
