Commitment To Davidson Takes Stress Away For McCullough

Will McCullough OF / SS / Moeller, OH / 2024

CINCINNATI - When Will McCullough first considered a trip to Davidson there was some doubt.

But now the Moeller senior is committed to the Atlantic 10 university in North Carolina.

“I was never really looking at Davidson, I didn’t know much about them,” the 15th-rated senior outfielder in Ohio explained. “A coach at Moeller (Chris Booth) is friends with an assistant there (Todd Miller) and in October wanted me to go to a camp there with another player. It was iffy for me, but I decided to go to a two-day camp the first day of November. I did well, toured the campus and really liked it.

“I heard back a week later and they said they had no money but would offer me a spot. I kept that thought in my head. They called the next week and said some athletic money opened up. That changed my view on it. I toured with my parents again and got a feel of what it was like. I also talked to a player and that boasted my feelings and I decided to take the offer.”

A commitment became official the first week of February.

“Not just athletically, but academically they’re very good,” McCullough said of the private liberal arts college just north of Charlotte. “It’s a nice campus and the school’s tiny, only 2,000 kids.”

The speed of McCullough is an area of the game that stood out to Davidson.

“At the camp I ran a 6.39, so they like my speed and athleticism,” the 107th-ranked 2024 in Ohio noted. “I also hit well in the scrimmage. But from what I heard from coach Booth, my speed and athleticism was big for them.”

Deciding on a college home midway through senior year was, admittedly, a bit nerve-wracking.

“It was pretty stressful,” the 18-year-old reflected. “A bunch of other kids were getting offers early and I wasn’t talking to anybody. I expected it my sophomore or junior year but I didn’t hear from anyone until senior year. All my friends were committing.

“I was getting a little stressed out not knowing if there was time left,” McCullough continued. “If I didn’t have a college by winter I was thinking maybe they were going to be filled up. I reached out to coaches and went to camps, but the main thing is they all wanted to see me live. Fortunately, I was lucky enough to go to a camp at Davidson and they liked what they saw.”

An improved game benefitted the cause according to the 6-0 180-pounder.

“A couple of aspects in my game stick out,” McCullough said. “I wasn’t always an outfielder. I transitioned my sophomore year and have grown more comfortable tracking balls off the bat. My speed helps with covering ground and stealing bases. I’ve also really improved at hitting. I’ve grown comfortable seeing high velo and good pitchers.”

It has helped McCullough reach a dream of playing baseball after his days at Moeller have come to an end.

“I grew up playing baseball, soccer and basketball,” McCullough explained. “In high school I played just baseball and soccer but after sophomore year I quit soccer. Baseball was always my favorite sport. I wanted to play at the next level and as soon as I quit soccer I knew I had to do it.

“I was always told I was athletic and had a strong arm and could go D-I, but coaches weren’t talking to me and that stressed me out. I think I’ve always had the skill set to do it, it was just a matter of talking to the right people.”

McCullough, who is leaning toward a major in economics, is of the belief he can make a strong impact in a program that has won two regular-season titles since joining the Atlantic 10 a decade ago, winning one tournament title and making three NCAA Tournament appearances.

“I think in the outfield I’ll cover a lot of ground,” McCullough said. “My mentality is to not let any balls drop. Hitting-wise, I’ll do my job moving runners, doing whatever the team needs. It’s not about myself. I’ll help on the bases and bring energy every day, boosting the team morale.”

To finally find a place to play  after high school was a “great feeling” according to McCullough.

“Before I committed, every day I was thinking about it and stressing out,” McCullough admitted. “Once I committed, all the stress went away. Now I have to lock myself in knowing what’s coming. I need to push and work even harder than I am now.”

There is a lot to look forward to at the university located 61/2 hours from home.

“Playing baseball, working hard, playing every day and winning is what it’s about,” McCullough concluded. “I love to win. I can’t want to be part of a group, part of a program that’s close, wins and does stuff together.”