Fourth UTampa baseball player makes reality TV show debut on Love Island

TAMPA - The UTampa baseball program is without a doubt a powerhouse. The Spartans national championship counter is now at ten, which is a Division 2 record.

"It's what you talk about why you come to Tampa," Spartans head coach Joe Urso said. "We make it look easy sometimes but it's so tough."

However, winning baseball games isn’t all the UTampa baseball program is known for. 

What they're saying:

 "UT baseball turns out two good things - winning baseball teams and reality show contestants," Former Spartan baseball player Nick Peterson said. "It’s what they do best."

Yup. It's true.

Three spartan baseball players have already appeared on reality shows.

Roberto Martinez won the Bachelorette with Ali on Season 6. He even took her on a picnic to UT's baseball field, which might have sealed the deal.

2006 national champ Nick Peterson was also on Bachelorette and joined at his mom's suggestion after watching Roberto won his season. Peterson won $250,000 on the third season of the Bachelor Pad and also came out on top in Bachelor in Paradise's second season. He used that cash to open up several Orange Theory Fitness gym's in Philadelphia.

"It was a great experience," Peterson said. "Just because I enjoyed the travel, the people, everything about it."

After winning it all with Tampa in 2013, Connor Obrochta appeared on both the 14th season of the Bachelorette and season five of Bachelor in Paradise. 

"It's a bunch of macho men, alpha males competing for the same girl," Obrochta said. "I definitely enjoyed my time."

However, a fourth former Spartan baseball player has now entered the chat. 

2024 National Champ TJ Palma is bringing the heat on Love Island.

"I don’t watch Love Island, but my wife does," Peterson said. "I heard this conversation, 'I played baseball at Tampa,' and I spun my head around."

Urso shares that same level of excitement for Palma on the grand stage, and he had no idea his former player was on the show until he walked out as the "hot new bombshell."

"Once he hit TV, someone's like, 'TJ's on,'" Urso said. ""We're like, 'No way!'"

The backstory:

The longtime UTampa head baseball coach does not give any of his former players a hard time about it either. He says it's definitely a boost for recruiting. 

"To have TJ Palma doing what he's doing, I mean, this show is watched by every youngster in the country," Urso said. "You’re taking about national exposure. The publicity is just amazing. It’s a proud Spartan moment."

So how have there now been four former Spartans to appear on reality TV??

The former UTampa baseball reality TV show contestants have some ideas.

"I think there is something in the Gatorade cooler in the dugout," Peterson said. 

Obrochta believes it goes deeper than that.

"Going back to Tampa baseball, you know it’s competitive," Obrochta said. "They have this competitive nature to them that they want to go out and kind of hunt and get whatever is out there. I think that transfers into that reality TV side."

Urso says it all comes back to bringing the right guys to Tampa to win titles.

"We talk about to be successful when you're out recruiting, it's not just about talent," Urso said. "It's about finding the right personality and that is really true in building a family atmosphere that's important to us and winning championships. That personality obviously moves on into the business world and life outside of baseball. We did not know four of our former players would star on reality tv, but we're excited for them."

Who knows what consistently leads the Spartans to the little, but Urso can't stop watching Love Island. 

"I’m obsessed with my former player and just rooting on his success," Urso said.

That's because success for his former players equates to more success for the program. 

"Once you are all in on us, we’re going to follow you throughout your career," Urso said. "Whether it be in business or in baseball, reality shows, whatever it is, once you’re part of the Spartan family, you’re part of it for life.

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