Nashville Community High School standout Ian Blazier will be heading out west to play Division 1 baseball for the University of San Diego.
“It feels awesome,” Blazier said. “A lot of anxious feelings are gone. It’s a dream come true, the best feeling.”
Blazier said he verbally committed to become a Torero last October to join the team as an infielder.
“I knew I wanted to be a part of a winning program, and they have a great baseball program,” he said of his decision.
Last year, the Toreros went 33-12 overall and 19-8 in conference play. This spring, the University of San Diego will be led by new head coach Brock Ungricht. According to a press release, Ungricht helped build San Diego into an offensive powerhouse as the Toreros ranked in the top 25 in the nation in batting average and scoring last spring. The team also ranked fifth in the country in sacrifice flies and ninth in doubles per game.
Blazier said he had always wanted to play for a top college program ever since he was 8 years old. His father encouraged him to play in leagues with older players helped shape him as a player.
Blazier also said getting the opportunity to further his education is another added benefit.
“The education I am going to receive is going to change my life,” he said. “A lot of people asked me about how I can go to school so far away but I got that family feeling there right away.”
As a Hornet, Blazier has been named an integral part of the team’s infield game.
This past spring, Blazier finished with a .333 batting average that included 33 hits. His swings accounted for 3 doubles and 3 home runs, and he was the team leader in triples this season with 6 total. Blazier was named to the 2021 All-South team and made the Southern Illinois River-to-River All-Conference team.
Looking ahead to this spring, the Hornets have several returning star players to the lineup, including Blazier, who has the speed and the ability for Nashville to have repeat success again this year.
Blazier said the team can always be considered a contender under Coach Chad Malawy’s leadership because of the caliber of talent coming off the bench.
“I think whenever we take the field, there is always a really good chance,” he said. “We have some really good athletes. We will never make it easy for them.”
Feature photo: Ian Blazier is pictured here with his family. In the back row are his parents Dan and Jamie Blazier. Front row from left: Brother Isaac, Ian is center and brother Cooper.
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