WASHINGTON - Georgetown University baseball alum AC Carter (C'15) graduated from Georgetown in May, 2015 with a degree in philosophy, but instead chose to pursue a career in professional baseball. However, despite being drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 40th round of the 2015 Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft, Carter opted to play professionally in Europe and recently finished his second season overseas.

Carter played for two seasons in a Georgetown uniform after transferring to the Hilltop from Seminole State College of Florida following a year at the University of Notre Dame. In 97 career games with the Hoyas, he batted .285 with six home runs, 22 doubles and 60 RBI. As a senior, Carter batted .316, good for second on the team, and registered team highs with 42 RBI and 17 doubles. His 42 RBI was the third-highest in the BIG EAST and he was also tied for third in doubles and sixth with a .468 slugging percentage.

Following Georgetown's appearance in the 2015 BIG EAST Championship, its first in 29 years, Carter departed for Belgium in June to embark on his professional career.

"Beginning in the fall of my senior year, I began emailing whoever I thought might have a contact in Europe about my desire to play overseas after graduation," Carter said. "So, about three hours before I was drafted by the Rockies, I received an email from the Louvain-la-Neuve Phoenix offering me a gig for a three month span from the end of June to the end of September. It wasn't a great offer, but it was a foot in the door and one not many people get.

"So, I had these two offers: I could either play in the states as a 40th round catcher or begin my career overseas. After thinking about what my life would be like in the two scenarios, my choice became more clear. I was drafted too late, was too old, and would have too little money invested in me. So, rather than grind away and likely not receive a fair shot, I decided to go and play and be happy and explore Europe while I do."

Carter played in 18 games in Belgium, batting .415 with three home runs. When he was not on the field, he helped coach the Louvain-la-Neuve Phoenix youth team while also touring Europe. He traveled to more than 25 different cities around the continent, including seeing the running of the bulls in Pamplona.

While in Belgium, Carter traveled to Cologne, Germany with his host father, Christophe Dassy, who is a big baseball fan. Dassy introduced him to a friend, Georg Apfelbaum, who is the vice president of the Cologne Cardinals in the Baseball-Bundesliga -- Germany's professional baseball league.

"We spoke briefly and he had been hearing good things about me and mentioned the possibility of coming to play for Cologne the following year. We stayed in touch throughout the season and I had good numbers in Belgium so, in December, we locked things up. During that process, Georg asked me if I thought I could handle coaching a team."

Carter accepted the added responsibility of coaching the team and was named a co-manager along with teammate Jack Shannon, a left-handed pitcher from the University of San Diego and a veteran of the European professional leagues. Together, both Carter and Shannon split duties that included administrative work, maintaining the field and most importantly, setting the lineup.

"We spent a lot of time thinking through lineups as each week presented a new obstacle with injuries, people being out of town, and numerous other conundrums."

Part of the difficulty in creating the lineup was the fact that Carter and Shannon were trying to decide among their friends and teammates, and not everyone was going to be happy with the decision.

"Most of the team was around our age, ranging from 22-28 on average, so we spent a decent amount of time together off the field. Seeing poor performances among your friends and having to give someone else an opportunity did create friction but it comes with the territory. Making those moves is the necessary line and it was established and, fortunately, it did not impact any friendships off the field."

Not only did Carter have his managing responsibilities, but he also helped train the youth teams, taught the game to the local Cologne fire department and was in charge of running Cologne's summer camps with the assistance of Shannon.

All the while, he was producing as one of the Cardinals' leading hitters, playing in all 24 games at either catcher or first base. He led Cologne with a .373 (28-for-75) batting average and also recorded team highs with seven doubles and 17 RBI while registering a .444 on-base percentage and a .507 slugging percentage.

"In the off season I spent a lot of time in the gym and on the tennis court. Those two things got me in good shape for the preseason when I began to train. I maintained my swing from Georgetown where working with (former Hitting) Coach (Phil) Disher got me really grooved. Those factors and hunting the fastball led to my success."

The highlight of the year for Carter came when he represented the International Stars in July during the Prague Baseball Week -- an elite tournament of European teams -- and defeated the Czech National Team to win the championship. Carter will again join the International Stars in September for the Yoshida Challenge in Paris where they will compete against the national teams of France, Germany and the Netherlands.

Following the Yoshida Challenge, Carter will leave Europe to play for the Port Adelaide Magpies in South Australia - his third professional team in 16 months. He attributes his success and positive experiences thus far, both on and off the field, to his two years on the Hilltop.

"My years at Georgetown were definitely formative. Upon my arrival to campus, I realized how varied the experiences offered by the world can be. The diverse & international student body gave me first-hand experience with the cultures of the world. Living in Washington, D.C., one of the great cities of the world, exposed me to a wealth of institutions, museums, and a vibrant city life.

"As far as baseball goes, I came together as a hitter at Georgetown and learned how to have productive at bats that help both myself and the team consistently. In terms of coaching, the Cardinals are a small ball team and we have to manufacture runs. At Georgetown, I learned through experience how to do such a thing."

While Carter's journey to professional baseball has not followed the typical path, there is nothing about his decision that he regrets.

"It is a special opportunity and I am happy that I have taken it. I hope that some other Georgetown Baseball players follow in my steps."