On Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020, Central Bucks East seniors Ethan Weiss, Jake Quillen and Nick Bitsko were recognized for committing to continue their baseball careers at the collegiate level. Check back for a gallery of photos.
Nick Bitsko – University of Virginia (Baseball)
Major: Undecided
Reasons for choosing Virginia: “I committed in eighth grade, so not a lot of other schools were talking to me very seriously. It was an early
commitment, but I still believe it was the right commitment. At the time, I really valued education, and the coaches and the staff were really welcoming, and it just felt like home every time I went down to visit. Obviously, with the rules of the NCAA, I wasn’t able to go down for a couple of years, but I went down in the fall, and I keep falling in love with the place every time I go down there.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in baseball at the collegiate level? “It was a natural progression over the summer playing travel ball and stuff like that because obviously, at that time, I didn’t play high school or anything like that. I played a little bit of middle school baseball, but it was more of the travel circuit, showing my talents and showing that ‘I belong here.’ I’ve always been a big fan of baseball. I played basketball all my life, but I think baseball has been my true calling.”
Coach Kyle Dennis says: “I can’t say enough positive things about Nick. In addition to being a phenomenal baseball player, he’s a fantastic kid. He has carried himself extremely, extremely professionally ever since he was a freshman. From the moment I saw him throw a bullpen, he was very poised, very collected, and he knows how to play the game of baseball at a very high level. Outside of his athletic gifts, the way he approaches his work ethic, the way he approaches being a great teammate, it’s just absolutely phenomenal. A kid with his caliber of talent – you would never know just looking at him that he’s as special as he is because of the way he carries himself. He’s a great teammate, whether he’s on the field or on the bench. He’s going to pitch for us this year, and he’s going to do a great job on the mound. We could also see him playing a little bit of infield and DHing. We’re thrilled about Nick. I’m excited for him moving on to Virginia. He’s going to make a strong impact in that program. He’s just truly special athletically, and he’s also a very special human being.”
About Nick:
Favorite food: Filet Mignon
Favorite TV show: Breaking Bad
Favorite music: Rap
Jake Quillen – Massachusetts Maritime Academy (Baseball)
Major: Marine Transportation
Final list of colleges: Massachusetts Maritime, New York Maritime, Penn State
Reasons for choosing Massachusetts Maritime: “I’ve always wanted to go to Massachusetts Maritime Academy, and I was just blessed enough to play baseball there too. Right as I walked onto campus, it just felt really welcoming, and it felt like a great environment. I just knew I wanted to go there.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in baseball at the collegiate level? “It’s always something I dreamt of doing, but I’ve wanted to go there for the marine transportation part. When I met the baseball coach and I met the team, I knew I wanted to play for them. It was just an added benefit playing baseball for them.”
Coach Kyle Dennis says: “Jake is a catcher, a corner infield, a DH. He’s been a three-year member of our varsity. He’s a great left-handed bat. He’s going to compete this year for some time in the corner infields, he’s going to compete for a role as a DH, and he’s also going to function as a catcher if we need him. Again, he’s an incredibly hardworking kid and has really high expectations of himself. He has a really nice swing from the left-hand side, and I think his school choice is really going to be great for him and is a place he can play pretty quickly and make an impact really quickly. We’re really excited for Jake and really excited to follow him in the future.”
About Jake:
Favorite food: Crab
Favorite movie: Pirates of the Caribbean
Favorite music: Country & Rap
Ethan Weiss – Swarthmore College (Baseball)
Major: Economics with a minor in French
Final list of colleges: Swarthmore, Georgetown, Penn State, University of Pennsylvania
Reasons for choosing Swarthmore: “I loved how focused the campus felt. Every student there seemed like they were there to get smarter and focus on what they were there to do. The baseball team felt very cohesive, the players seemed to have a similar personality to me – a respect for the game, a respect for each other, and I loved how the coaches interacted with their players.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in baseball at the collegiate level? “It had always been a dream of mine to play at the college level, so when I was offered an opportunity to play at Swarthmore, the ability to continue with high academics as well as have a team that’s been successful in the recent past, it was just very intriguing to me, especially close to a city such as Philadelphia.”
Coach Kyle Dennis says: “Ethan has been a three-year member of our varsity team. He is a very determined young man, and he works incredibly hard. He overcame some injuries in his sophomore year and just continued to work to make himself better and get himself healthy and rebuilt almost his entire mechanics. He put in a great showing for us last year. He’s going to work this season to earn a starting spot or maybe come out of the bullpen, whatever the team needs. He’s a very team-oriented guy, and he’s going to do whatever is best for the team. I love the kid. He’s incredibly hardworking and has high expectations of himself. Swarthmore is going to be fantastic for him both academically and athletically.”
About Ethan:
Favorite food: Sushi
Favorite movie: Good Will Hunting
Favorite music: Catfish and the Bottlemen
- Log in to post comments
