Former Colony baseball standout earns chance to play college baseball

PALMER — Joe Ryan had his sights set on attending the U.S. Naval Academy. But an issue with his eyesight grounded those hopes. But Ryan, a 2018 Colony High School graduate and former Knights baseball standout, turned his attention toward another great opportunity.

The chance to play college baseball.

Ryan will attend LeTourneau University in Longview, Texas, and play baseball for the Division III Yellowjackets.

“It’s going to be a good experience,” Ryan said recently. “It’s a really cool deal.”

Ryan said he had been preparing for the potential opportunity to attend the Naval Academy since he was a freshman at Colony. He had the grades and the nominations needed and was in the final stages of the application process. Ryan said has partial colorblindness, and that was enough to keep him out of the academy.

Ryan said as disappointed as he was, as one door closed another opened with his chance to play college baseball. He said he learned of the school through friends in Texas, and everything fell into place. LeTourneau had what Ryan was in search of, in terms of both academics and athletics, and offered Ryan a scholarship.

“The scholarship really helped out a lot,” Ryan said.

Ryan, born and raised in Wasilla, grew up on the baseball diamond. He got his start in Palmer Little League before becoming a standout with the Colony Knights high school team and Palmer Pioneers American Legion program. Ryan played catcher primarily for the Knights and Pioneers.

“I really like seeing the whole field, love making play calls and talking to the pitcher,” Ryan said.

Ryan said he like’s being a part of every pitch, every play.

Ryan was named first team All-Southcentral Conference after helping lead the Knights to a second-place finish in the league and a trip to the state tournament. He also stood out during the summer American Legion season, hitting .375 for the Pioneers.

Ryan will study mechanical engineering with a focus on aerospace.

Contact Frontiersman editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.