Greg Hegarty, ’17, was a two-time Division II All-American wrestler at Maryville. After graduating last May, he returned to his native Kansas City to work in ticket sales for the Royals – a job he landed with the help of skills learned in the Rawlings Sport Business Management program.

He calls the job a happy homecoming.

“It’s definitely a dream job, getting to work with the Royals,” Hegarty says. “And I got to come home where I wanted to be. I could say I’m lucky, but I worked hard to get here.”

As a student, Hegarty worked with the St. Louis Cardinals for a year — six months as an intern and another six months in a part-time job. (The longtime I-70 rivalry between the Cards and the Royals didn’t stop the Royals from hiring him, however.) Hegarty works in group and season-ticket sales at Kauffman Stadium.

“I could say I’m lucky, but I worked hard to get here.”

“Sometimes, when I’m parking in the morning, it catches me off guard that I really work here,” Hegarty says. “Or, I’ll walk around the stadium over my lunch hour and see some of the players. I try to act professionally, but at the same time I’m thinking, ‘This is so cool.’”

The job primarily involves inside sales, Hegarty says.

“I make many phone calls and send many emails every day, so I have to stay focused,” he says. “I love talking to hardcore, loyal fans and selling them the whole experience of Royals baseball.”

He credits program director Jason Williams, EdD, and others in the Rawlings Sports Business Management program with helping him land the position.

“It’s a program you’re not going to find anywhere else,” Hegarty says. “They give you lots of hands-on experience that allows you to put things on your resume which set you apart from anyone else in the industry. They really work to get your name out there, and get you into the workforce. They helped me advance to another level.”

Hegarty came to Maryville as a recruit for the Saints wrestling program, after a stellar athletic career at Blue Springs High School. As a Saint, he qualified for two national tournaments and earned two second All-American Honors. Hegarty stays involved with the sport by helping to coach the Blue Springs Wildcat youth wrestling club.