Paul Skenes attended college at two institutions during his baseball journey. He started at the Air Force Academy before transferring to LSU, where he achieved stardom.

Early College Days

Skenes began his higher education at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs in 2020. There, he played two seasons for the Air Force Falcons, excelling as both a pitcher and hitter—he batted .410 as a freshman and served as the team's closer with 11 saves. This military academy experience shaped his discipline, as he later credited it for personal growth amid rigorous service commitments.

Big Leap to LSU

In 2022, seeking a stronger baseball platform, Skenes transferred to Louisiana State University (LSU) in Baton Rouge. His lone season there was legendary: he led the Tigers to the 2023 College World Series title, earned Most Outstanding Player honors, broke the single-season strikeout record, and won National Pitcher of the Year. This path propelled him to the No. 1 overall pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2023 MLB Draft.

College| Years| Key Achievements
---|---|---
Air Force Academy| 2020-2021| Mountain West Freshman of the Year, two-way star, All-American honors 35
LSU| 2022-2023| College World Series champ/MVP, strikeout record, top draft pick 239

From service academy grit to SEC dominance, Skenes' college arc reads like a classic underdog-to-hero tale—proving military roots can fuel MLB greatness.

TL;DR: Air Force Academy first, then LSU for his breakout year.**

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.