ALTON - Surrounded by his teammates, friends and family, Alton High School senior Nick Cauley made the first and largest decision of his career so far; signing his letter of intent to attend and play collegiate baseball at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill.
With his mother to his right and his head baseball coach Todd Haug to his left, Nick made his decision to head upstate to study at the school known for its position in the “Big Ten.”
“These days are always paramount,” Coach Haug said. “Often times in our sport, unlike many of the other sports, we don’t get to take the time to celebrate someone’s accomplishments, since you’re finding out at the very end where you’re going. In this case, we had the opportunity to stop and reflect upon what Nick has done and hopefully what he will continue to do.”
Cauley’s great work as a pitcher for the Redbirds has made him the team’s ace since the drafting of Bryan Hudson to the Chicago Cubs. His 90-plus miles-per-hour fast ball has shown that Cauley is truly a force to be reckoned with. However, he is incredibly humble and gracious for his teammates and coaches for their ongoing support.
“I try not to think about [the fastball speed] too much,” Cauley said. “I learned over the last few years that it is not all about the velocity. I have to improve on my other weaknesses. It helps to throw a little harder, but it’s not everything.”
“He’s a self-made man. We often say that getting better and improving is a lonely act. It means going the other way and improving never stops,” Haug said. “It’s a testament to him. He’s the complete package. We know that he will do great things on and off the field.”
When Coach Haug passed the torch onto Nick to speak, the joke-cracking teen wished his brother, Aaron, and a few friends happy birthday to break the serious tone of the room.
“I don’t think I’d be here if it weren’t for the help and support of all of you guys, each and everyone of you,” Cauley said. “Thank you very much.”
Looking forward to next fall, Cauley is excited to head to Evanston to start the next chapter of his life come next autumn.
“I feel like the whole package I’m getting is electrifying,” Cauley said. “I love the campus and the opportunities they give me with academics.”
Aside from the brilliant academics that Northwestern provides all of its students, the coaches at the university’s baseball program definitely influenced Cauley’s decision. Before choosing Northwestern, St. Louis University and Missouri State University were his other top choices.
“The new coaches they have are definitely breathing life into the program. I really like where its headed,” he said. “When they recruited me, there was just something different about them. They’re so full of life.”
Nick is looking forward to possibly majoring in biological sciences at Northwestern and intends to travel down the medical career path.
To contact Madelaine Gerard for any potential stories, please send an e-mail to madelaine@riverbender.com.
