Wahoo wow: University graduate James Eysenbach was recently named Cosmopolitan’s Bachelor of the Year for the state of Virginia. Though he lost the national title and $10,000 prize to Louisiana Bachelor of the year Ryan Chenevert when results were announced last Thursday, Eysenbach is still a swoon-inducing prospect for anyone in search of a Virginian gentleman.
Involved with the sailing and hockey teams while at the University, Eysenbach graduated with a degree in government in 2011 and earned a master’s from the Commerce School in 2012. He recently moved to Los Angeles. In his Cosmo bio Eysenbach describes himself as an “an old-school romantic” whose sweet spot is his lower back.
Claiming ignorance of Cosmo’s Bachelor of the Year competition, he said his ex-girlfriend nominated him without his knowledge. “When they called me out of the blue and told me I’d been selected I was surprised, but naturally I agreed,” Eysenbach said with a laugh.
Though he hails from outside Boston, Eysenbach said he was still eligible to represent Virginia in the contest.
“I think people are mostly selected based on looks but what you do also plays a role, and some of the other bachelors had cool jobs,” Eysenbach said. A news anchor, a professional soccer play, a lawyer, a DJ and a neuroscientist are among the other Cosmo bachelors who were in the running for the national title, he said.
Our bachelor is no exception. In addition to modeling for Abercrombie & Fitch and United Colors of Benetton, Eysenbach said he wants to get into medical device sales concentrating on sports medicine and orthopedic trauma. Ultimately, he said, he wants to get a contract with a hospital that will allow him to actually be present at surgeries to advise doctors on how best to use his devices.
Competing for Bachelor of the Year is not all business. “The bachelor of New Jersey was hilarious,” Eysenbach said of his competitor Scott Evans, a news anchor. “We partied together in New York City last weekend … I thought maybe he would take the title.”
Looking back on his years in Charlottesville, Eysenbach had nothing but praise for the University.
“Virginia was a new experience for me,” he said. He said his fondest memory of his time at the University was Foxfield in 2012.
“I was in grad school at the time and hadn’t seen my friends who had graduated with me in 2011, and when we saw each other at Foxfield it was like we never left,” Eysenbach said.
He also admitted his love for Virginia girls. “Girls at U.Va. are way hotter than girls in New York City,” Eysenbach said.
His closest girl friends at the University said there’s more to the bachelor than just his good looks.
“For me, he’s cerebral,” fourth-year College student Riley Blanks said. She added that Eysenbach has a genuine love of reading and travel. “He’s got an awareness that a lot of people don’t have and he’s very honest about that awareness and his opinions,” she said.
It’s the bachelor’s honesty that really garners praise. “He’s very straightforward with you,” third-year Commerce student Linda Bach said. “You just need to be straightforward right back and learn not to take yourself so seriously with him.”
Fourth-year College student Annabelle Larose agreed.“He’s a fun guy and parties a lot and so you don’t get to see his deep side until you have a one- on- one with him,” Larose said.
Eysenbach is every bit the Virginia gentleman needed to represent the state and his fellow Cavaliers, both girls said. He’s still our pick for Bachelor of the Year.
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