As if the dedication needed to play a college sport were not enough, seniors Matt Hink and Danny Mannion have both verbally committed to play baseball at two institutions known more for their superb academics than sports, emphasizing success in the classroom, rather than on the diamond. Mannion, second baseman, has committed to play for Saint Louis University, while Hink, pitcher and corner infielder, has committed to play for Harvard University.
John Meyer, baseball coach, said both players are different, but their approach to school and sports is the same. They both enjoy being challenged athletically and academically, Meyer said. He added that the personality of both players sets the tone for the team and while they are not very vocal leaders, they lead by example.
Meyer said Hink and Mannion will have success in college if they maintain self-discipline, persistence, and focus.
Mannion, second baseman, said he has balanced school and baseball by putting school first and baseball after. He said he created a strong work ethic in the classroom, which then translated to the baseball diamond.
He said SLU was a good fit academically for him and he will find a spot to fit on the team, making it the best choice for him. Mannion said he is undecided on his major, but will probably go into pre-med.
Mannion said he will keep the same mindset of academics first, baseball second in college, but there are also more avenues for academic help if needed. He said the team has their own tutors and the coaches would even let a player miss a practice here or there to get caught back up in school.
Hink, pitcher and first baseman, said he balances doing homework with sports by doing his homework as soon as possible when he gets home from practice. Hink said it has been difficult, but he has managed his time effectively.
Harvard, like the other Ivy League schools, cannot give academic or athletic scholarships, but Hink said they will give him need-based financial aid.
He said playing at Harvard will be difficult because they focus more on academics than college baseball teams outside the Ivy League.
Hink said the Harvard team is only allowed 12 team practices in the fall, allowing the players to focus more heavily on academics. For Hink, this will help as he is going to major in engineering, something none of the current Harvard players are doing.
Hink said dedication in the classroom carried into the field as well, which is evidenced in his MHS single-season record .75 ERA last season. Besides pitching, Hink said he will also play first and third in college, a perk that schools such as Duke and Villanova would not allow him to do.
He added that both last year’s success and committing to play for Harvard have pushed him to do better this season. Hink said he trusts his teammates to help him out as well.
“We have a lot of talent and experience in the field this year,” Hink said. “I won’t have to pitch for strikeouts, because if a ball is put in play, the fielders will make the out.”
