When Nolan Johnson suffered an elbow injury during his freshman season, his dream of playing collegiate baseball was up in the air. Undeterred, he dedicated time to physical therapy with his Rehabilitation Performance Institute instructor.
Fast forward to yesterday, and the Daviess County senior has accomplished his childhood goal, signing his college commitment letter with Midway University to continue his baseball and academic career.
“The injury wasn’t bad enough to where I would never have a chance, but I definitely didn’t see myself in these shoes a few years ago,” Johnson said. “I was very lucky, and I prayed a lot about it with my family. I was very fortunate to go back to how I was before and then ultimately decided to continue my athletic career in college.”
Picking up a baseball at the age of four, Johnson started his high school career with Apollo before joining Daviess County High School for his junior year. A lefty pitcher and outfielder, he will be leaned on primarily for his pitching while at Miday, but he will also have opportunities as a two-way player.
Johnson acknowledged that while competing the summer after his sophomore year with the club team, Evansville Razorbacks, he progressed as a player on and off the field, reigniting his desire to play collegiately.
Johnson’s recruitment process picked up during his junior year, as he spoke with multiple NAIA and DII schools.
“I visited a lot of schools in the past, and I met with coach Bramblett and coach Steiner at Midway, and they just made me feel like I was at home,” Johnson said. “I really liked the campus and the baseball facilities, and I felt it was the right decision for my future and my next four years.”
Currently, he is involved in the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, also known as the early college system, and is finishing up earning an Associate of Arts. At Midway, he plans to earn both a bachelor’s and a master’s in business administration.
“So, visiting Midway, they just converted to a coed school in the last 15 years, so all of their resources, all of their buildings are new,” Johnson said. “Their business center is very nice on the inside. I was able to tour some of the classrooms, and it was definitely the right fit for me.”
With his recruitment closed, Johnson stated that he has felt a massive weight leave his shoulders.
“Making this decision has definitely alleviated a lot of stress, but now I am just ready to get going,” Johnson said. “We have a great group of guys, so I am very excited to see what we can do in the 3rd Region.”
