Congrats on your new commitment! What is it about Illinois Wesleyan that excites you the most?

The thing that excites me most about Illinois Wesleyan is that I have the opportunity to compete in two sports at a prestigious university and finally get the independence I have been craving for the past four years.

You started playing with Top Tier as a 14U and are now entering your 18U year with the program. Tell us what about your experience and what it means to wear the TT’s.

Playing for Top Tier is a great experience and is something that made me into the player and person I am today. When you walk into a hotel or a tournament, everyone knows who you are. They know that TT means business. Top Tier taught me how to respect the game of baseball and play the game right, while helping me through the recruiting process. I am proud to wear the TT because I know how hard the TT staff works to develop us into the best player we can be.

Talk a little bit about the recruiting process and how everything went down.

Choosing a college is very tedious, but the recruiting process is not as complicated as you think, especially if you have the right people on your side. The coaches around me in high school and at Top Tier put me in the right spots to succeed. They guided me through this process by talking to and organizing meetings with coaches for me.

What were some of the priorities you looked at when deciding where you wanted to commit?

The top priority and deciding factor that I researched when picking a college was if being a student-athlete turned into a student only. I have a good academic background to fall back on. Proximity to home was another priority. Illinois Wesleyan is close enough for my parents to come watch games, but far enough for me to have my own freedom and become independent. Also, I factored in schools that gave me the opportunity to play two sports.

What challenges do you see ahead of you before you get to campus?

The challenges I see ahead of me are obstacles that can be easily surpassed. As I think forward, I can see moving away being difficult, being responsible enough to take care of myself, and staying in shape for the seasons to come. Saying this, I have the courage to move away from my friends and family, develop good habits, time management skills, regulate stress levels, and working to get my body into better shape so being a two sport athlete will be easier.

What are some of the goals you have set for yourself as a college baseball player?

As a college baseball player the goals I have set are to develop my skills and add to a winning culture at IWU.

If you could give one piece of advice to all of the younger players coming up, what would it be?

One piece of advice I would give a younger player would be to buy into what is preached at Top Tier; they know what they are talking about. Top Tier made me into a college baseball player.

Is there anybody you would like to give a shout-out or thanks to?

First, thank you to my parents, without them I could have never played travel baseball. Thank you to Top Tier for training and believing in me. Finally, thank you to De La Salle, for providing a great education and shaping me into the Meteor I am today.