 He was named Bureau County Athlete of the Year during his senior season.After graduating from high school in 2001, Happ enrolled at Northwestern University, where he majored in history and played college baseball for the Northwestern Wildcats.He was named to the All-Big Ten Conference First Team in his freshman, sophomore, and junior seasons, during which he compiled a 16–11 win–loss record, an earned run average (ERA) of 2.88, and 251 strikeouts to 90 walks over innings pitched.