Titans 2022 College Excursion Winds Through 7 States and 15 U.S. Schools

The Titans Baseball Club will embark on a 15-day autumn odyssey on October 2. The mixed squad comprised of 16U, 17U, and 18U Titans will crisscross by highway coach through New York, Maryland, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Georgia, and West Virginia to play 15 US Colleges:  Niagara (NJCAA D3) in Sanborn, New York; Garett College (NJCAA D2) in McHenry, Maryland; Prince George CC (NJCAA D3) in Largo, Maryland; Lakeland CC (NJCAA D2) in Kirtland, Ohio; St. Xavier University (NAIA) in Chicago, Illinois; Siena Heights University (NAIA) in Adrian, Michigan; Mott CC (NJCAA D2) in Flint, Michigan; Rend Lake CC (NJCAA D1) in Ina, Illinois; University of Georgia (NCAA D1) in Athens, Georgia; West Virginia Tech University (NAIA) in Charleston, West Virginia; Rio Grande University (NAIA) in Rio Grande, Ohio; Glenville State University (NCAA D2) in Glenville, West Virginia; Salem International University (NCAA  D2) in Salem, West Virginia; Genesee CC (NJCAA D3) in Batavia, New York; and Erie CC (NJCAA D2) in Williamsville, New York. 

The architect of this two-week travel plan to get Titans players recruited is Titans 18U Head Coach and College Placement Officer Denis Bailey. He outlined the numerous goals of the excursion:  “This kind of trip allows guys to find what US College road trips are all about while riding across the country on a highway coach.  We expect our players to do their homework on the bus and understand the importance of finding balance as a student-athlete.  They’ll have the opportunity to play against US College baseball players—some of which will be former Titans—and they’ll learn what it takes to compete at the next level.”

Coach Bailey was particularly excited about our players competing at a Division 1 powerhouse like the University of Georgia on October 10, but he pointed out that “all their stops have added value since our players can see a variety of schools and see all the nice places to play in the USA.”  Seven of these U.S. Colleges on the travel plan currently feature a Titans player on their baseball roster so it’ll also be time to get reacquainted with members of the Titans Graduate Classes of 2021 and 2022 attending Garett College, Mott CC, Rend Lake CC, West Virginia Tech, Rio Grande University, Salem International College, and Genesee CC. 

Coach Bailey reaffirmed the importance of school work being completed during the trip and pointed out that “Study Hall will be on the bus, at the hotel in the cafeteria, and in the players’ hotel rooms.  Working on school work during road trips is mandated by Colleges so our players will experience another preparatory activity that is part of the life of a US College baseball player.”

The 2022 Excursion was comparatively easier to organize than the 2021 trip which featured a charter flight and a host of COVID-related complications including the boarding of their highway coach across the border.  Coach Bailey expressed his relief that “there are fewer restrictions regarding how we can travel and who we can play this year.  Securing a highway coach via Franklin Bus Lines in Belleville makes the trip much easier to plan in that we don’t have to fly in to the USA and board our bus in Michigan as we had to do in 2021.  The bus will leave this year from the True North Fieldhouse so our departure and trip logistics will be far more conventional.” 

In all, the Titans will play at a variety of Colleges and Universities that represent 6 of the 7 pathways that Canadian ballplayers can take in their transition from the CPBL to the US College system. Coach Bailey was quick to point out that this variety of destinations is what makes this year’s Fall College Trip so beneficial for our graduating Titans players:  “The players get to meet Head Coaches of fifteen US Colleges and Universities who can take a first-hand look at our Titans student-athletes.  Our players can compare fields and campuses in fifteen US centers in seven different states.  They can also see the towns in which the universities and colleges are set to see if the municipality is a good fit for them for two to four years of residency.” 

The fifteen-day, fourteen-night, fifteen-school, and seven-state excursion is listed below: 

Last year’s Fall College Trip yielded scholarships and commitments for eight players from the Class of 2022 who participated in the excursion.  It is hoped this expanded tour yields even more scholarships and commitments for the Class of 2023. 

Safe travels, Titans!