Senior Perspective on the Fallout from the Coronavirus

It's been over a week since our season was canceled, and I'm still not sure if I have fully processed the news. I know I speak for all the seniors when I say that I've felt a wide range of emotions over the past week. Of course, I was devastated by the decision, knowing very well it could be the end of my career and the end of a sport that has brought me so much happiness over my four years and over the course of my life. But at the same time, I was happy to be with my teammates and classmates, reminiscing about fun times over our four years and remembering moments that will stay with us for the rest of our lives. More still, I felt confused. Confused about how this all happened so quickly and how we would move forward in a world that was changing before our eyes. The best way to describe it was that it felt like we were living in a movie.

After [Head] Coach (Bob) Whalen brought us in to tell us the news of our season being canceled, we as players met in the locker room to simply talk and be with each other for what may have been the last time as a baseball team. What [fellow senior captain] Blake (Crossing) and I told the team, and what I will reiterate now, is that I loved this team. I've been blessed to have played with so many great teammates, friends and competitors in the Dartmouth Baseball program, and even still this year's group was my favorite. Every member of the team bought into the aspects of hard work, commitment and unselfishness starting with the 6 a.m. workouts in the fall, and through what would be our final practices early last week. Even though we only took the field together seven times, I felt this year's team was more unified, and held a closer bond than any prior year in this program. This camaraderie, coupled with the high level of talent that existed across the roster, put us in a position to bounce back from a disappointing year last year and have a legitimate shot at taking home the Ivy League Championship. While it was a very young season, I was extremely proud of the way our team handled themselves on and off the field, and I know that they will continue to do this moving forward into the 2021 season, which will inevitably lead to success for Dartbase. This is something that as a senior class we talked about together before we left campus. We felt like as a group we made a positive impact on this program, and while we did not get the chance to make our lasting impact on the field, we are confident that the values we instilled and the choices we made will have a lasting effect on this program.

In regard to 2021, and my plans moving forward, I cannot say that anything is certain as of now. This fall I went through the hiring process and toward the end of the fall I accepted a job at AlphaSights, an informational services company in New York City, starting in September. I have every intention of honoring that commitment and beginning the next phase of my life in the professional world. Working toward a professional life is in many ways why I chose to go to Dartmouth. As devoted athletes, we all had aspirations to play at the professional level, but we also knew the odds, and knew that putting all our eggs in one basket was not a wise decision to make. This is why we chose to attend an institution like Dartmouth, which would allow us to play baseball at the Division I level while also providing us with an education and a network that would benefit us for the rest of our lives. We knew that someday baseball would not be the focus of our lives and that cultivating other skills would allow us to continue having success in our lives. All this being said, I would be remiss if I didn't explore all of the options that are available to me, especially if they allow me to play baseball, the game I love, for another year.

Let me first say that I don't want to suit up and play for any team besides the Dartmouth Big Green. Dartmouth is my home, and all those that came before me in this program, as well as those that will follow in my footsteps, will be my family for the rest of my life. Given this, it would feel wrong to put on the uniform of another school and compete alongside a different group of men. The current rules of the Ivy League do not allow graduates students to be eligible for competition. This means that for me to come back and do a fifth year at Dartmouth, I would have to continue my status as an undergraduate. For this to occur I would have to do the following:

I would need to decide to take an off-term this upcoming spring, next fall and next winter, thereby saving my final two classes / credits for spring of 2021. This would allow me to be eligible for next spring, and all the Ivy League games as well as the midweek games. However, in this option I would not be eligible in the fall or the winter, so I would miss the first two weekends of the season and potentially the spring trip. Additionally, it would require I find a job or internship of some sort in the Hanover area so that I could be on campus to attend practices and workouts plus still be a part of the team. For me, as a pitcher, choosing this option would essentially be choosing to delay graduation a full year to start and pitch in seven Ivy League games next spring.

For me, under the current set of rules outlined by the Ivy League, there is not a feasible way for me to come back to Dartmouth and play baseball for another year. But this situation does not apply only to me, it applies to all senior spring athletes at Dartmouth, and for all senior spring athletes across all of the Ivy League schools who had the end of their careers ripped away from them. The current situation is nobody's fault, and I am not blaming the Ivy League for the loss of my senior campaign because I actually believe that, while their decision was premature at the time, it turned out to be the right decision. What I am asking is that given these unprecedented times that we are living in, the Ivy League should make an unprecedented decision and allow graduate students a year of eligibility. While I can't say for certain if I would choose to go this route, I know that there are student-athletes at each of the Ancient Eight schools that would love nothing more than to get another chance to play the sport they love while pursuing a graduate degree at the institution they chose to call home for four years.

Regardless of what happens in my future with the game of baseball, the short time I served as a captain of this team brought me some of the best moments of my life, and I will cherish the memories of leading this team for the rest of my life. It was truly an honor and a privilege to be voted as a leader of this program and to carry on the tradition of those who have come before me. Past captains of this team have been guys that I have looked up to and respected as baseball players, as leaders and as men. I want to thank my teammates and my coaches who voted me captain for trusting me, for believing in me and, most importantly, for never giving up on me. Through all of the ups and downs, I had the continuous support from every member of the Dartmouth Baseball program, and for that I will always have the utmost respect for everyone that makes this program special. While in all likelihood I have played my last game in a Dartmouth uniform, I can leave knowing that this program is in good hands, poised for success.