Charlie Mellies

Classroom

Mellies is a fifth-year senior with a double major in political science and sociology. He has a 3.522 GPA and has made the Dean’s List every semester at Wake Forest. He has been named to the ACC Honor Roll each of the past four years and was an All-ACC Academic Team honoree in 2006. Mellies was inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK), the national leadership honor society, in April 2007. He is president of Wake Forest’s chapter of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and a member of the Wake Forest Leadership Academy. Mellies will graduate in the spring of 2008. After graduation, he plans to attend law school and then join the Army as a JAG officer following his graduation from law school. Eventually Mellies would like to enter politics with the ultimate goal of one day becoming president of the United States (and he’s serious about that too!).

Character

Mellies is in his third season as team captain of the Demon Deacon baseball squad. He is the consummate veteran leader on the field and in the clubhouse. The fact that he’s still able to take the field is a tribute to his tireless work ethic in overcoming a career-threatening injury. In 2006, Mellies was the top pitcher on a nationally-ranked Wake Forest team. In five starts through mid-March, he went 4-1 with a 3.50 ERA. He also threw a complete game shutout of then No. 1-ranked Florida. However, his successful season came to an abrupt end when he was told he needed Tommy John surgery. Mellies had the surgery in April 2006 and missed the rest of the year. He returned from the injury in mid April of 2007 but was not 100 percent healthy the entire season. He made four starts, including the ACC Tournament title game against North Carolina. Mellies received a no-decision with five innings of work in the championship game.

Community

Mellies is a tireless volunteer who gives back to the community in a number of ways. He has volunteered his time on campus and in the community with such projects as Athletes Care Team, Eat with the Deacs, Baseball Bears, Project Pumpkin, YES Clinic and Santa’s Helpers. Mellies was also one of three baseball players who organized Wake Forest’s Operation Wounded Soldier—a project that raised over $5,000. He and several other student-athletes prepared 50 gift boxes to take to the soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington D.C. They then took the care packages to D.C. and visited with the wounded soldiers. To quote Julie Griffin, the coordinator of Wake Forest’s CHAMPS program: “Not only has Charlie participated in numerous community service events, he actively encourages and solicits his teammates and other student-athletes to become involved. He has been an incredible President of SAAC, running the meetings in an efficient manner. He’s the first one I call for speaking engagements because of his excellent communication skills. He is one of the most focused young men I have ever come across. His work ethic is admirable and he is of the highest character - always mindful of his position as a student-athlete representing his team and the university.”

Competition

In his fifth season with the Deacons and now 100 percent healthy, Mellies is expected to anchor Wake Forest’s weekend rotation. Mellies is one of a number of veteran hurlers who should help the Deacs compete for the ACC Championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. In 2006, Mellies was 4-1 with a 3.50 ERA before he needed Tommy John surgery. He was the top pitcher on a Deacon team that won 16 of its first 21 games and was ranked in the top 25 in the country when he was healthy. Last season, Mellies returned from the injury but was not at full strength. He did manage to earn a win at Maryland on April 8. Wake Forest was the No. 8 seed in the ACC Tournament but made it all the way to the title game. The coaching staff called upon the veteran Mellies to make the start in the championship game, and he did not disappoint. Mellies kept the Deacons in the game against the heavily-favored Tar Heels. He allowed just one unearned run in five innings of work before UNC pulled the win out in the eighth inning.