Highland senior looks forward to baseball, accounting at Harris-Stowe next year
Austin Toler did not get to enjoy his senior season on the baseball diamond at Highland High School this spring because of the cancellation of spring sports in Illinois due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Still, Toler does have another chapter to look forward to beyond this spring. Come fall, Toler will be heading across the river to Harris-Stowe State University to play baseball and study accounting.
After visiting the school once last summer, and twice last fall, Toler signed in November to play at Harris-Stowe and be a Hornet.
Overall, Harris-Stowe, is an ideal fit for Toler academically an athletically.
“I’m pretty confident and I think that it’s a great choice for me and it’s going to help me academically and coach (CJ) Bilbrey and I have really gotten know each other pretty well over the (course of) the fall,” Toler said.
Getting his college choice done early was a relief for Toler and it allowed him to focus on his academics and stay in shape for baseball.
In picking Harris-Stowe, Toler pointed to the academics and the strength of the school’s accounting program as major draws.
“The academics there (are strong),” Toler said. “I think right after I graduate college I will be set (professionally) and I think their school of business is honestly one of the best ones I could pick and I think it was just a good choice.”
A year and half earlier, Toler moved back to Highland from Colorado for his junior season, and he credits Bulldogs baseball coach Joel Hawkins with helping him get settled back and doing the things that would help college coaches notice him.
“I had just moved back here and it’s a little bit of a different style than what I was used to in Colorado before and I think coach Hawkins really helped me get back into the groove of things,” Toler said. “That kind of helped me get prepared and helped (college) coaches get to see me (play) a little bit.”
Toler began the 2019 season splitting time behind the plate with senior Cody Blackburn. After a few weeks, however, Toler claimed the starting job, ultimately hitting .244 last spring in helping the Bulldogs advance to the IHSA Class 3A sectional semifinals.
Outstanding defense behind the plate also helped Toler stand out to college coaches. During the Bulldogs 37-game 2019 campaign, Toler was a wall behind the plate, committing just two errors.
He hopes to carry that stout defense into his freshman season at Harris-Stowe.
“I believe defense is probably the important thing for me,” Toler said. “I think what really wins games is defense and in my eyes, I need to keep everything in front of me. If I’ve got to drop down and block a ball that’s 5 feet in front of me in my lap, I’ve got to do everything I can to keep it in front of me.”
What’s next step for Highland star?
As far as prep work, Toler will talk with Bilbrey soon by phone and then meet with him and the Harris-Stowe coaching staff in the summer to discuss what plans they have for him next fall
“I have to go see him here in a couple of months and I’m sure that (my role) will be a topic,” Toler said.
Moving forward, Toler is weighing his summer playing options all while being hopeful to make an impact for the Hornets as a freshman.
“I would like to do good things on the field and it just depends on if I have to do everything I can to try and get the top spot and try to do everything I can in the classroom too,” Toler said.