Eagles’ two-sports star looks to duplicate feat at Davis
Never mind that former Santa Fe Christian two-sport standout Corbin Cutshaw hasn’t played a single down or had an official at-bat since graduating from the perennial small-school power more than a year ago.
Since leaving the Solana Beach campus for California’s Central Valley, his athletic career has hardly been uneventful. As one of the most versatile and dynamic athletes sports-rich Northern San Diego County has produced in recent years, Cutshaw has already made his mark at UC Davis.
Cutshaw, who was recruited for football, made the baseball team too, becoming the school’s first athlete to play the two sports in almost 20 years, and the only one to do so since the school started transitioning to Div. I from Div. II in 2003.
Cutshaw red-shirted his freshman year in both sports, preserving his four years of eligibility.
“I was pretty busy,” Cutshaw said. “I’m really passionate about both sports, and I really like the school.”
Cutshaw has had to balance a busy practice schedule with the rigorous demands of being economics major at a school known mostly for academics. His ability to excel in both departments should come as no surprise though.
In addition to being named San Diego County ‘s offensive player of the year in football and a first-team all-county selection in baseball, Cutshaw received all-county academic first-team accolades too.
“It’s a little tough, but balancing two sports and studying has definitely taught me time management and discipline,” Cutshaw said.
Cutshaw figures to be a cornerstone player for the Aggies, who just completed their Div. I transition, competing in the Big West and Great West Conferences in all sports, which made the program eligible for postseason play for the first time since moving up.
The Aggies football team finished the season with a respectable 5-6 overall record, but was 1-3 in Great West conference play.
Their baseball team had a strong showing, going 35-24 and 13-11 in conference play. The Aggies advanced to the first round of the NCAA regional tournament, where they were eliminated by Stanford.
Cutshaw figures to make his most immediate impact in football, where his presence and playmaking ability in the backfield should give pass-happy UC Davis a bit more balance. The Aggies averaged just 108 rushing yards per game, accounting for barely more than a quarter of their 405 total offense average.
Cutshaw was San Diego County’s most prolific offensive player his senior year, when he led the county in rushing yards with 2,007 and in touchdowns with 37.
He rushed for 175 yards in Santa Fe Christian’s 34-21 2006 title game victory over Mission Bay of San Diego at Qualcomm Stadium, leading the Eagles to their third section title in a row.
“My best memories from high school are winning championships and the camaraderie we had on all those teams,” Cutshaw said. “We had a great bunch of guys on those teams and we were all best friends outside of school too.’’
Cutshaw didn’t miss a beat in baseball, leading the Eagles to consecutive section title game appearances at Tony Gwynn Stadium his junior and senior years.
Cutshaw was among the county’s leading hitters, batting .457 (42 for 92). He had a .663 slugging percentage, scored 51 runs, and stole 33 bases in 37 attempts.
Cutshaw says his experience at SFC played a big role in his athletic development. In addition to playing on tightly knit teams, he said he benefited from playing for coaches in both sports with professional backgrounds
Football coach Brian Sipe is a former Pro Bowl NFL quarterback who played 11 years for the Cleveland Browns. Baseball coach Rick Aguilera played most of his 16-year Major League All-Star career with the New York Mets and the Minnesota Twins.
Offensive line coach Nick Ruscetta helped tremendously too, Cutshaw said.
“Playing for two (former) professionals made me the player that I am today in both sports,” Cutshaw said. “They really helped me come along and helped me develop as a player. That definitely played a huge role.”
Cutshaw’s twin sister, Katrina, also a multi-sport standout at SFC, just completed her freshman year at UC Davis too. Katrina Cutshaw played on an Eagles state volleyball championship team, was an All-Coastal League softball player, and also played on the water polo team. Cutshaw said he’d love to play professionally in either sport, but insists academics come first.
“Later on down the road I know I’m going to have to make a decision, but I’ll just have to cross that bridge when I get there,” Cutshaw said. “Right now, I’m just kind of enjoying both sports.”
If he continues to build on the success he had in high school in both sports, that decision might not be easy. Then again, picking a career in baseball or football isn’t the worst problem in the world one could have, and one he acknowledged could be resolved easily by playing both.
“It’s a long shot, but if I excel at both sports, maybe that’s a possibility,” Cutshaw said. “Not many people do it, but who knows.”