Sports Reporter
Strike three.
If Nolan Snell builds on last year’s success, that’s what most opposing batters will hear this season.
As part of a top baseball team, he recently was voted preseason pitcher of the year in the RMAC before even throwing a single pitch. Many would think CMU junior Nolan Snell has a big head.
They would be wrong.
“Nolan is a bulldog on the mound,” junior Ryan Mayfield said. “He’s a good guy who’s smart and easy to get along with.”
Snell began his tenure on the mound at age nine. He hails from Albuquerque where he fell in love with baseball.
“I started in tee-ball when I was four years old,” Snell said. “I haven’t missed a year since.”
Snell is the last person most batters want to see 60 feet from the plate. He boasts a 7-4 record, 3.52 ERA and 108 strikeouts in his career. But as highly touted as Snell is, his journey to become a Maverick was not as smooth as it was for most of his teammates.
After winning three state championships at La Cueva High School, Nolan headed to the University of New Mexico and spent his first season redshirting as a Lobo. Nolan then headed to Dodge City Community College in Kansas. However, Snell felt that his two previous schools didn’t measure up to CMU.
“Neither place felt right for me,” Snell said. “When I came on my visit [to CMU], the coaches showed a real interest in me and I felt like it was a great fit.”
When Snell isn’t leaving batters confused at the plate, he isn’t far from the sports world. Snell is majoring in sports management with a minor in business.
“The true dream would be to continue playing baseball at the pro level,” Snell said. “If not, I’d like to work at a stadium for a team, or possibly become a coach.”
During his free time, Nolan likes to sing and play the guitar. Nolan also enjoys reading. His genre of choice? You guessed it — sports.
“I read the book Money Ball, and the [Oakland] Athletics have been my favorite team since.”
CMU fans and students will pack the stands at Suplizio field this spring as Snell will try to lead the Mavericks to their 19th RMAC title.
“I think we have a very strong and deep pitching staff along with a lot of speed and power on the offense,” Snell said. “The combination of those will give us a great opportunity to win a lot of ball games.”
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