Anthony Hincy

Anthony Hincy idolizes Cal Ripkin Jr. and Troy Tulowitzki.

He loves the Colorado Rockies every year (even 2011.)

And one of his most vivid childhood memories is a Saturday of rain delays and extra innings, when his team played four games in one day at a Denver baseball tournament, placing second around midnight.

So he doesn't hesitate for a second when asked about his best moment at Doane College.

"The dogpile after we won GPAC," said Anthony, a Tiger shortstop from Colorado Springs.

It was one of those poignant moments that only follow adversity. The Tigers lost two games that would have won them the Great Plains Athletic Conference regular season title, then battled back to earn the championship and qualify for the NAIA national tournament for the first time in school history.

They dogpiled.

They packed together and hoisted the trophy for the camera. They felt like winners and best friends. The moment reminded him why he picked Doane in the first place, and believed in it enough to stay.

"It's funny - three years ago I had never heard of Doane or anything in Nebraska besides Lincoln and Omaha. I didn't know what to expect."

Interest from Doane's baseball coaches piqued his interest and the campus visit sealed it.

"I love this school. When I came, I liked the student/teacher ratio and how much I could learn here."

If he had doubts about coming to a school far from what was familiar, they vanished during orientation and the first-year student candlelighting ceremony.

"The first two days, Doane makes sure everyone can get to know each other. You are able to meet about everyone on campus."

He settled into school and baseball. He picked Doane partly because he wanted to contribute to a program on the upswing. He has left no doubt about his contributions. He has a .362 career average, Gold Glove honors and Great Plains Athletic Conference honors. Last summer, he played in the Northwoods Baseball League, a collegiate summer baseball team.

Some professional baseball teams have expressed strong interest in him.

Whether he advances to the professional level in baseball or not, the sport already determined his career. Anthony had his share of injuries in youth and high-school sports. He plans to use his physical education and fitness and sports management degree from Doane to help keep athletes on the field, and prevent kids from suffering some of the sports injuries he remembers.

As commencement approaches, he thinks about what he will miss from Crete, Nebraska, this place he'd never heard of. He'll miss the way everyone knew him here; miss the extra hours batting and taking ground balls and the coach preaching "Perfect practice makes perfect."

Most of all, he will miss the team that seemed like family, lifting weights together in the morning before they were even really awake; the roadtrips to Texas and Florida; commiserating about getting up early, getting in late, going to class the next morning.