Q and A with 2015 Boston College Commit: Thomas Lane (Phillips Academy)

Thomas Lane, RHP, Phillips Academy HS, Class of 2015

PBR: Why did you choose Boston College?

Lane: I chose Boston College because I think it is the absolute best fit for me. It has everything I was looking for in a school: a world-class education, the highest level of competition on the field, and proximity to home. There is really nothing better than being able to play in an elite conference like the ACC while earning a degree from a renowned University only an hour from my house.

PBR: What other schools were you considering?

Lane: I was also considering Duke, Virginia Tech, Virginia, William and Mary, Fordham, and St. John's. All of these schools are great academic institutions and all play a high level of baseball but when it comes to being the best fit for me, Boston College was clearly the choice as it had everything I was looking for.

PBR: Now that you have your commitment out of the way, what are your goals for your senior year?

Lane: My goals for my senior year are to win a third Central New England championship in my career for Phillips Andover as well as becoming the best pitcher and student that I can become. I will need to do this to make an immediate impact in college both on the field and in the classroom. I want to better myself in order to succeed as quickly as possible in all aspects in college. I have already been taking steps towards doing so and I am excited to see my hard work pay off.

PBR: Who do you play for in the summer and what was the most memorable experience?

Lane: For my first two summers on the summer baseball recruiting circuit, I played for Legends Baseball. Coach Ryan Leahy who now runs Recruiting Edge Baseball was an immense help to me in the recruiting process and I had a great experience playing for him. He was a major reason that I was able to get seen by schools that I wanted to attend and I couldn't thank him enough for doing so. My most memorable experience playing for Legends was the travel. We traveled a lot as a team in vans and that was a very fun time. It made us so much closer as a team and added to the very unique experience that is summer baseball. This past summer I played for East Cobb New England. My most memorable experience with them was advancing to the playoffs in the Perfect Game 17u WWBA National Championship. That was a really good tournament and we were able to advance into the top 32 and as the only team from New England to do so, we were very proud to accomplish that.

PBR: What person has the greatest impact on your baseball career and why?

Lane: My dad has had the greatest impact on my baseball career. He coached me all throughout my childhood and helped me develop my love for the game. Ever since I was a little kid I was always playing with him and that has turned me into the pitcher I am today.

PBR: Who is the toughest hitter you’ve faced in the state?

Lane: The toughest hitter I ever had to face in Massachusetts was my freshman year at Phillips. I had my first career start against BB&N and faced Rhett Wiseman 3 times that day. He has had great success as a starter at Vanderbilt and for him to be one of the first hitters I ever faced in high school was a tough task. He was Gatorade Player of the Year that year and for good reason. His swing mechanics and bat speed were on another level and facing him was both challenging and rewarding as I was able to see at a young age the caliber of player that goes on to play in top conferences like the SEC and ACC.