CUW freshman Gabe Hengst and professor Jonathan Balsman share the story behind their celebrity moment, their love of baseball and the classroom connection that started it all.
Elementary and middle education major Gabe Hengst can picture himself teaching second or third grade, becoming an athletic director or even teaching middle school history someday. But making a little Concordia history himself? That probably wasn’t on his radar—until a post involving the Milwaukee Brewers went viral.
While the Brew Crew was making baseball history with its first World Series championship win on Oct. 28, 2026, the Concordia University Wisconsin freshman and Jonathan Balsman (’14), PhD, an assistant professor of education and mathematics, were helping CUW make a little social media history of its own.
Several posts featuring their friendly rivalry, an assignment extension request and some very different baseball loyalties (yes, Balsman is a Cubs fan) drew attention from FOX6 Milwaukee. By Thursday, Oct. 29, CUW’s follow-up posts had reached a combined 4 million views across Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube.
Not bad for two people just going about their day.
It helps to know your professor
Anyone who knows Hengst knows he’s a lifelong Brewers fan. Balsman is just as much of a sports fanatic, although his loyalty lies with the Cubbies. They first shared a classroom this fall, but it didn’t take long for these two to find common ground.
According to Balsman, Hengst is one of the first students to arrive in class each day, giving them time to talk about sports, school or whatever else comes up. That relationship helped Hengst feel very comfortable making a rather public request for a little extra time on his assignments during a television news interview.
“I figured that if anyone’s gonna take a joke, it’d be him,” Hengst said.
He was right.
Balsman found the request hilarious. His two young daughters were pretty excited about their dad’s shoutout, too, although his kindergartner is still working out the difference between appearing on the news and starring in a television show.
He admits the attention has been fun and smiled as he described what a strange week he’s having, especially with the looks he’s getting while walking down the hall.
Outnumbered by students and Brewers fans, of course, he’s taking it all in stride.
“It would not have gone as far as it did if Gabe already wasn’t doing proactive good work in my class,” Balsman said.
Hengst had even earned a perfect attendance certificate at midterm. So it came as no shock to Balsman when he submitted his work the same day he asked for the extension. He also made it to class for his test the day after celebrating the Brewers’ championship win.
Two teams, one very familiar feeling
Hengst’s love of the Brewers goes back to childhood baseball camps, elementary school and a wardrobe that left little doubt about his favorite team. He remembers wearing Brewers gear day after day during their 2018 postseason run. He also remembers how much it hurt when that season ended.
This year, he watched the World Series from Milwaukee’s Deer District alongside friends and generations of fans who have waited a long time for this moment. At just 19, Hengst is ecstatic to witness a championship his parents, uncles and grandparents have waited decades to see.
Balsman understands that feeling, even if his preferred celebration includes a cute little bear cub.
He attended Game 5 of the 2016 World Series at Wrigley Field and remembers seeing tears in his father’s eyes when the Cubs finally won the championship. Watching Hengst experience that kind of joy this past week has brought back fond memories of his own.
“The first time you get to experience your team do that, even if they do it later on in your life, it won’t ever match what your first experience was,” Balsman said.
So yes, there has been plenty of teasing. But there is also a shared appreciation for what this means to the people who love the game.
There’s a future teacher in here, too
Somewhere between baseball conversations, ongoing text messages and Instagram notifications, Hengst is preparing for a classroom of his own. From the looks of his reel, he may be a natural fit.
His experience broadcasting high school volleyball and basketball games may have something to do with it. Balsman sees the same energy and personality that made Hengst’s social post entertaining as strengths he can bring to the classroom.
“So much of teaching is a performance,” Balsman said. Even after a difficult day, teachers need to bring energy to the classroom and keep their students engaged. Hengst has already shown he can do just that, with views climbing and comments pouring in.
Balsman knows both the work and the joy of preparing future teachers. A CUW graduate in Lutheran secondary education in mathematics, he returned to teach after working as a high school math teacher. Now in his fifth year on the faculty, he appreciates the opportunity to teach students like Hengst at a place he loves.
He also wants students to know their professors as people they can talk to, laugh with and learn from. That part of this story was already happening before millions of people got to see it firsthand.
A little friendly competition
We put Hengst and Balsman’s friendly rivalry to the test with a few questions. Neither disappointed.
1. Which one of you is letting the newfound fame go to his head?
Hengst: “Oh my gosh. I think it’s Dr. Balsman. I think he’s loving this a little bit more than I am.”
Balsman admitted he brought up their newfound fame in class that morning.
Balsman: “Letting it get to my head as a Cubs fan is also bringing more fear than excitement, so… both things are true.”
2. Who takes a loss harder?
Hengst: “I think it’s got to be me, honestly.”
Balsman: “I was gonna say, Gabe.”
Hengst: “Dr. Balsman has handled this so well. I mean, I’ve been ripping on him since, you know, the Cubs lost, and he’s taken it very well. I would say if the Brewers would have lost to the Cubs, I wouldn’t have taken it the same way.”
3. Say one nice thing about the other person’s team.
Hengst, on visiting Wrigley Field: “It is a great stadium. You have an awesome tradition.”
Balsman, on the Brewers: “The pitching is insane.”
4. If you went to a game together, who would be explaining the statistics?
Hengst: “I know he’s a total math nerd.”
He pictured Balsman sharing a player’s statistics against a particular pitcher.
Hengst: “I’d be like, wow, man, that’s cool, let’s watch the game.”
Balsman: “That… that is… that is very close to how I actually watch baseball. Yeah, that’s where Gabe would probably go get another snack.”
5. Any final words?
Hengst: “Go Brewers!”
Balsman: “Fly the W, go Cubs.”
Note: Responses excerpted from the interview for length.
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