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Former QC baseball head coach Mike Campbell (left) with 4-year varsity baseball player Austin Nichols.
Southeast Valley Ledger
Queen Creek senior Austin Nichols signed his National Letter of Intent last Tuesday, confirming his earlier announcement that he will attend the University of Arizona after graduation.
Nichols, a four-year varsity player in the Bulldogs’ baseball program, chose Arizona based in part for its rich baseball tradition.
“The baseball history,” Nichols answered when asked why he chose the University of Arizona. “The national championships, the success they’ve had over the years, the players that have come out of there – Trevor Hoffman is one of my heroes – and the new coaching staff with Coach Johnson, Coach Brown, and Coach Lawn. I wouldn’t want to play for anyone else.”
He is happy to have the decision behind before the start of his final season.
“It takes a lot of stress off,” Nichols said. “We can really focus on (the season), meshing with the guys, and really getting after it and have a good season without anything on my back to worry about.”
Nichols enters his final season as a Bulldog with a career .342 batting average and a .409 OBP. He’s been a staple at shortstop during that time, but he will change positions once he is a member of the Wildcats’ program, switching to getting hitters out from the pitching mound.
Former Queen Creek head coach Mike Campbell was asked what about Nichols’ game will translate at the next level.
“His work ethic, for sure,” Campbell responded. “The kid is relentless. He’s always on the field, he’s always around the game and that’s going to be the number one deal.”
Only a few players have gone through the Bulldogs’ program and finished as a four-year varsity starter like Nichols. He goes down as one of the best to ever don the Queen Creek uniform.
“It’s been a challenge but it’s been awesome,” Campbell said. “When I say ‘challenge’ I mean that as a compliment. (Austin) wants to win every day, he wants everyone else to get better, andhewants to get better. He’s going to be a guy who’ll be missed in the baseball program.”
Nichols acknowledged he wouldn’t be where he’s at without being a part of the Bulldogs’ baseball program.
“I couldn’t have done it without Coach Campbell,” he said. “He’s helped me so much. He helped drive me. My brother came through here and Coach Campbell gave me the drive to be better than my brother and anybody else who came through.”
His brother is Heath Nichols, who graduated from Queen Creek in 2007 and was the first Bulldogs’ player recognized on the outfield fence of the baseball stadium. Heath held a number of records at the school and was a member of the Los Angeles Angels organization before retiring.
“He’s my superman,” Austin said about his brother. “He’s the person I’ve always wanted to be like my whole life. Seeing him succeed always made me want to do everything he did one step better.”
Big brother helped little brother begin the next step of his baseball career.
“He’s always been there for me and helped me through this,” Austin said. “He helped me pick a school and was a big part of it.”
Andrew Luberda began writing for Copper Area News Publishers (CANP) in February 2013 after working 15 years in Healthcare Financial Management. Andy covers sports for 11 high schools. His stories are published in Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner and Superior Sun, in addition to the San Tan Valley Daily PRSS and CopperArea websites. Additionally, he has written human interest stories and business profiles. In May 2012, he earned an AAS in Sports Management at Central Arizona College before graduating with a BS in Communication from Arizona State University in 2014. He and his wife, Kelli, have three sons – AJ, Kyle, and Kade.
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