On Friday, Feb. 3, 2012, Council Rock South seniors Dan Callahan and Brian Donnelly were recognized at a special news conference for signing letters of intent to play collegiate baseball.
“These two (players) have been unbelievable for four years,” coach Greg Young said. “I am very grateful because last year (and this year) they were a vital part of our run through the state tournament. I wish both of them the best of luck next year.”
Dan Callahan – La Salle University (Baseball)
Major: Business Management
Final list of colleges: La Salle, Hartford, Marist, Bucknell, UConn
Reasons for choosing La Salle: “Coach (Mike) Lake was just a great guy and seemed really down to earth with everything. He made the recruiting process very real, and he was a bottom line kind of guy, and he’s almost a father figure in the program, which I really liked. It just seemed like a good fit.”
What was the progression that led you to playing collegiate baseball? “I started thinking about playing collegiate baseball when I was 12 years old because I would watch the College World Series, and I thought it was so cool these guys were on TV for playing a sport. It kind of became real for me my sophomore year when I made varsity and played five games and hit .400.”
Coach Greg Young says: “Dan is the best defensive catcher I’ve ever coached. La Salle University is a good fit for him, and he will do very well there.”
About Dan:
Favorite food: Chicken Parmesan
Favorite movie: Good Will Hunting
Favorite music: Drake
Brian Donnelly – Rider University (Baseball)
Major: Undecided
Final list of colleges: Rider, Temple, Bucknell, Army
Reasons for choosing Rider: “At first, I thought I wanted to go far away from home and go down south where I could play outside all year. I thought about it, and I thought it might be better to stay closer to home. It started with the coach – when I met (Rider) coach (Barry) Davis, I really liked him a lot. We have had two guys over the past two years that have gone to Rider for baseball, and they really helped me a lot. I got to meet a lot of guys on the team, and they had nothing but good things to say about the campus and the whole Rider community. It was pretty much an easy decision after I went on my official visit.”
What was the progression that led you to playing baseball in college? “I always knew I wanted to play a sport in college with playing all three sports when I was growing up. I didn’t know which one I was going to pick or if I was ever going to be able to pick one. I kind of saw where I was going and what I was most fit for my sophomore year. I decided to take off from basketball (my junior year) to really focus on baseball and really work on that.
“The first time I knew I had the potential to play baseball in college was when my summer team coach told my mom she needed to start getting me places because I had a pretty good chance to turn it into a career. He really helped me get to where I’m at now. My summer coach last year could have also been my fall coach. He was telling me if I played football I would fall off the radar of all the baseball coaches and I would never get to play in college. The football team was really depending on me, so I couldn’t leave my guys hanging. I took that chance and figure I made the right decision because it all worked out in the end.”
Coach Greg Young says: “Brian had a tremendous career at CR South. He has grown a lot as a player and carried us the entire season. He will do very well at Rider University for the next four seasons. We’ve had better pitchers and better hitters, but Brian ranks right near the top when it comes to competitiveness and the will to win. He will be missed.”
About Brian:
Favorite food: Crabs and Spaghetti
Favorite movie: Glory Road
Favorite music: Hip Hop& Country
- Log in to post comments
