During his years at Butler High School, Mike Epping wasn't much of an athlete himself.

But he sure did raise one.

Mike Epping Jr., a senior outfielder for the University of New Orleans baseball team and son of the 1974 Butler graduate, was selected in the 13th round of Tuesday's Major League Baseball amateur draft by the Washington Nationals.

Mike Epping Sr. and his wife, Marylin, from Kittanning, left the area for Oklahoma in 1981. The family now lives in Hatteras, N.C.

"I didn't play a lot of sports in high school," the elder Epping said. "I tried out for track, was on the swim team ... But it was different then."

"He was more into the hunting and outdoors stuff,"Marylin Epping said. "Other sports just got in the way of that stuff."

Epping's parents, now living in Virginia, formerly ran Epping's Taxidermy in Chicora.

Mike Epping Jr.'s life took off in a different direction early. He dreamed of being a professional baseball player since age 8.

"That's every kid's dream,"he said. "But it takes a lot of extra time and hard work to ever get in that position."

Epping certainly put in that time. After high school, he went to Oklahoma City College and helped the team reach the finals of the NAIAWorld Series his freshman year.

From there, he transferred to Texas Christian University, but he redshirted his only year there after tearing ligaments in an ankle in a diving accident at his family's pool.

Epping spent his final two collegiate seasons at New Orleans, but hit only .272 while sharing an outfield position with a teammate most of his junior year. He hit .446 over the final few weeks of that season to win the starting position.

"It's been so much fun watching him,"Mike Epping Sr. said of his son. "He had some fantastic summers and put together a great senior year under very trying circumstances."

Mike Epping Jr. found a house to life in with a teammate just before his senior season last August. They were in the house for three days before evacuating because of Hurricane Katrina warnings.

When they returned, the house was destroyed and their belongings were lost.

The New Orleans baseball team spent the fall at New Mexico State University, where the players attended school and played their fall schedule.

The Privateers played the early portion of their home spring schedule at South Alabama University before returning to their own university. With their field still unplayable, they played at a high school field 45 minutes from campus.

"We got on our field for the last couple of weeks or so,"Epping. said. "It was a crazy year, but I needed to put my total game together. Fortunately, I did."

Epping became the first University of New Orleans player in 19 years to hit .400. He added eight homers, 12 doubles, 58 RBIand 42 stolen bases. He finished third in the NCAAin stolen bases.

Epping Jr. became a first team All-Sun Belt Conference selection. The 6-foot, 190-pound left-handed hitter is now property of the Nationals.

He is also good friends with Chad Tracy, son of Pittsburgh Pirates manager Jim Tracy. Chad Tracy, a catcher at Pepperdine University, was drafted Tuesday by the Texas Rangers.

"We played in the Clark Griffith Summer League together,"Epping said. "I'll see him soon because we're both going to be playing in the Northwest League."

The Northwest League houses the Nationals' and Rangers' short-season Class A teams. Epping will soon be reporting to the Eugene, Ore., squad.

"Mike has gotten this far (in baseball) on his own," his father said. "He's always loved baseball. He started collecting baseball cards when he was little and just took off from there."