From Underdogs to Contenders: Reid State Baseball’s Rapid Rise

Reid State Lions Baseball proves it is not about how you start, but how you accept challenges and choose to win.

It was just a few years ago that we announced that athletics were coming to what was then the only technical college in the state, and few others in the country, to offer young athletes the chance to compete in 2-year NJCAA athletics.

Reid State Baseball’s inaugural season after that announcement was 2024. Challenges were immediate and significant: after playing our first home game, issues with the field pushed us to play every remaining game on the road. New leadership mid-season and new players tested the resolve of a team with no home-field advantage and no familiar dugout.

You also had a team still learning one another, learning college life and learning how to compete together. A 3-41 record on paper might have looked like the Lions were counted out.

And yet, the Lions pressed forward.

The team built chemistry, navigated adversity, and laid the foundation for something far greater. We gained a coach who came with a passion for the sport and, most importantly, a commitment to developing student-athletes both on the field and in the classroom.

Now, in its second year, Reid State Lions Baseball is emerging as a powerhouse. The team has played 32 games this season and holds a winning record of 20-12. Three of our players are currently ranked in the top 10 nationally (West – strikeouts, Coleman & Simmons – stolen bases).

But this story is about more than baseball.

Still with a partnership with Poarch Creek Indians due to Reid State’s facilities still being built, this editorial is about what happens when a group of young men decide that the absence of a home field will not diminish their confidence, that a mid-season coaching change will not fracture their unity, and that being labeled the underdog will only fuel their drive.

At Reid State Community College, we believe greatness is not reserved for those with the most resources. It belongs to those with the most heart. It belongs to those willing to work with what they have, to trust the process and to remain committed when circumstances are less than ideal.

As president, I am proud of the way these young men have represented Reid State.

To anyone who feels that because they do not have what others have, they cannot be great, look to the Lions. Take what you have and work with it. Build with it. Believe in it. Because greatness does not require perfection. It requires heart.