Senior Kevin Dowling announced his commitment to Rutgers University-Newark this past week on Instagram.
Dowling decided on Rutgers Newark because of their “shared business school with Rutgers New Brunswick” and the ability to “play right out of the gate”. Rutgers business school is a very competitive school, with a top 50 ranking according to US News. Rutgers Newark is a Division III school that plays in the NJAC conference, one of the best Division III baseball conferences in the country. The Scarlet Raiders are 19-19 this season and will be sure to get a boost with the help of Dowling next season.
Though Dowling has been a successful pitcher at Westfield, he started his high school career in Vermont. He was an integral part of his team in Vermont as well, playing multiple positions in the field and dominating on the hill.
Transitioning to a new school in the middle of your high school career can be difficult, but Dowling stands out as a competitor who did not let this obstacle get in his way. Dowling, a pitcher and outfielder, has been an important part of Westfield’s 13-2 team this year, amassing 20.2 innings pitched and an impressive 1.69 ERA. In his junior season, Dowling pitched over 30 innings and was a vital part of Westfield’s rotation.
Dowling wears number 22, a tribute to his father who played at Westfield years before. The Dowling family is very involved in Westfield baseball, coming to nearly every game to support. Dowling’s uncle has provided food in several of the games last season through his restaurant, Dowling’s Irish Pub.
Dowling’s commitment has an interesting story as well. After a strong start against High Point on Senior Day this year, the “Rutgers Newark coach hit me up on Instagram, and I gave him my number and it went from there. I toured and I liked what I saw, so I decided to commit,” said Dowling.
Tommy Hyland, senior and fellow pitcher, said, “Kevin is a great teammate who’s always looking out for us. He always puts on his back and we can always rely on him to throw strikes and do his job. We know what we’re getting from Kevin each time he goes out there.”
Kevin Dowling will be joining Rutgers Newark in the fall, where he is bound to continue to be a vital aspect to his team.
