Gritty Norris Excited About Playing College Baseball In The South

Will Norris OF / OF / Andover, MA / 2025

ANDOVER, Ma. - His grittiness on the ice carries over to the baseball field. It is something that stood out to Wofford about Andover junior Will Norris.

“They put an emphasis on gritty players,” Norris said about Wofford, where the eighth-rated 2025 outfielder in New England now calls home after making a commitment to the Southern Conference university. “They talked about being a multi-sport athlete and my toughness with hockey.”

That led to a camp invite after seeing Norris play with his NEB travel team in September at Fort Myers.

“I went in January and had one of my best performances,” Norris reflected about the camp. “They followed up saying we’ll continue talking. Three weeks later (head) coach (J.J.) Edwards called and offered me.”

There was a visit to UMass Amherst in the fall and talks with other schools in the northeast during the recruiting process, but something about Wofford stood out to Norris.

“It’s super different than the northeast schools,” Norris explained. “You have the ability to play year ’round. There’s also a weight room built to match the needs of the Carolina Panthers.”

Ironically, Norris “didn’t know much about them until I received an email from them.” A decision to check into the school located in Spartanburg, S.C. paid off.

“I thought, why not?” Norris explained. “It was a chance to play down south.”

There was more that the 70th-ranked junior in New England liked about Wofford.

“It’s not only a great opportunity to go south and play the sport I love, but I feel I fit in as a player,” Norris said. “The coaches fit what I’m looking for in a coaching staff.”

The connection was mutual.

“They really like my athleticism and how aggressive I am,” the 5-10 165-pounder related. “My grittiness and hustling everything out, they really liked that.”

A commitment meant a “dream” that began at a young age had been obtained.

“When I hit eight grade is when I really thought I could do it,” Norris related about his aspiration to play college baseball. “It was all about grinding in the gym and pushing myself to the limits.”

Improvement came with that strong work ethic.
“I’ve really improved my outfield play and gotten faster,” Norris noted. “I went from 6.9 to 6.6 in the last year. My exit velo went from 92 as a freshman/sophomore to now it’s 97. My overall feel for the game with strength and power has come a long way.”

The third-rated junior outfielder in Massachusetts looks forward to bringing his attributes to the next level.

“With my athleticism, I feel I’ll be a great addition,” Norris said. “All the players there have the same mindset as me. They want to win and have fun doing it and I feel I’ll be a great asset to the team.”

Norris pointed to help in his baseball journey to college being fulfilled.

“I want to thank everyone at NEB for providing me the opportunity to play in front of all the coaches at Wofford,” Norris said. “I also want to thank coach (Hudson) Byorick and coach Edwards for the opportunity at Wofford with how great they were throughout the process.”

A commitment brought a sense of relief according to Norris.

“A lot of stress was taken off my back,” admitted the 17-year-old. “It felt great to find a home … and to have it down south, it’s so awesome.”

Undecided on a major, Norris, who carries a weighted 4.2 GPA, is ready for what the future holds.

“I’m looking forward to the experience of being in South Carolina,” Norris concluded. “I get to play year ’round, unlike up north. I’m also excited for all of the college experiences, traveling and playing games. I’m super pumped for it.”