Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the cancellation of the spring season, the Upper Iowa Athletics Department is spending the next few months spotlighting many of our Peacock student-athletes whose spring seasons came to a premature end. 

In today's virtual interview, Pete the Peacock gets to know UIU baseball's Duncan Snider. Duncan is a senior from Muscatine, Iowa who came to Fayette two years ago from Marshalltown Community College. He is majoring in accounting.

PETE: How would you describe yourself in three words?    
DUNCAN: Driven, deliberate and competitive.

PETE: What made you want to be a collegiate student-athlete?    
DUNCAN: I didn't get to play much baseball in high school due to an injury I had during my sophomore year. I was not ready to stop competing and playing this great game.

PETE: What have you learned about what it takes to be a student-athlete?    
DUNCAN: It takes a lot of time and effort. There are plenty of late nights and early mornings which requires a lot of dedication.

PETE: What advice would you give to your 14-year old self?
DUNCAN: I would tell myself to take everything a little more seriously and to take advantage of any opportunities that come.

PETE: What is something most people don't know about you?    
DUNCAN: Most people don't know that I really enjoy taking computers and phones apart and fixing them.

PETE: What is your favorite thing about your hometown?    
DUNCAN: Being able to catch up with old friends that I don't talk to as much as I should.

PETE: What is your favorite thing about Fayette?    
DUNCAN: My favorite thing about Fayette is honestly how small it is. It's nice living so close to all the guys on the team and being able to walk everywhere.

PETE: How do you want to be remembered?    
DUNCAN: I want to be remembered at UIU as a good teammate and as someone who is always ready to compete.

PETE: What's the best thing that has happened to you in the last week?    
DUNCAN: The best thing that has happened in the past week has been hanging out with all the other guys that are still in Fayette. It has been a great time watching countless movies and golfing almost every day.

PETE: What are the top three things on your bucket list?    
DUNCAN: To get a hole in one, visit another country, and play any form of professional baseball.

PETE: What is your dream job if money wasn't a factor? Why?    
DUNCAN: I would love to be an assistant pitching coach at a junior college. Pretty much any job to stay around baseball would make me happy.

PETE: Who are three people (dead or alive) you'd love to have dinner with? Why?    
DUNCAN: I think having dinner with Robin Williams, Tom Segura and John Mulaney would be an extremely fun time.

PETE: What is your most memorable sports moment?    
DUNCAN: My most memorable moment happened last season when I threw two shutouts in the same week.

PETE: What fictional character (movie, TV show, book, cartoon, etc.) would you want to be for a day?    
DUNCAN: Being Andy Dwyer from Parks and Recreation for a day would be so much fun! He has no care in the world and just does whatever sounds fun to him!

PETE: What is your dream vacation spot? Why? What would you want to do there?    
DUNCAN: I haven't been many places other than where we've gone for baseball but I think vacationing at a resort in Mexico would be great! I'd love to see the ocean and enjoy the beautiful weather!

PETE: What piece of clothing do you wear the most?    
DUNCAN: Since I have been stuck at home for the past couple of weeks, I have been rotating between my UIU baseball hoodies almost every day.

PETE: What is your favorite restaurant in the world? What do you order?    
DUNCAN: It's really hard to just pick one, but if I had to, I would probably pick Peking. It's a great local Chinese restaurant back in Muscatine and their spicy Mongolian beef is the best I have ever had!

PETE: What is your favorite non-sport hobby?    
DUNCAN: My favorite hobby outside of sports would probably be tinkering with electronics and figuring out how they work.

PETE: Where or who do you get your inspiration from?    
DUNCAN: I get a lot of inspiration from my dad. He has always been a great example for me to work hard and always try my best. He has always put our family first and has done a great job of doing just that.

PETE: What is one cause that you hold dear to your heart? Why?    
DUNCAN: I hold Alzheimer's disease close to my heart. I had to watch my grandmother's mind start to deteriorate at a young age and I really did not understand what was happening or appreciate the time I had with her. If I could go back I would make a much better effort to spend more time with her.

PETE: What was your first job?    
DUNCAN: My first job was working at a local deli in Muscatine called Avenue Subs. It was a great experience and I still talk to my boss today!

PETE: What is the priciest thing you've ever splurged on?    
DUNCAN: I haven't really made many large purchases, just a bunch of small purchases that eventually drained my bank account ... sorry Dad.

PETE: If you had a podcast, what would it be about?    
DUNCAN: I really enjoy podcasts that talk about everything from movies and tv shows to news or just life in general. So I'd probably do something like that.

PETE: Who would your dream co-star be in a movie?    
DUNCAN: My dream co-star in a movie my dog Luna even though she would steal the show.

PETE: What would you bring on a one-way trip to Mars?    
DUNCAN: I would bring everyone I have been in Fayette the last four weeks with, it has been me and my teammates Jaret Stellmaker, Jack Thode, Alex Baker, and Dalton Steere. I'd bring them since it has been such a great time watching countless movies and golfing every day.

Special thanks to Duncan Snider for taking the time to chat with Pete! To view more virtual interviews, please click here.