By Carter Enders ‘28, staff writer
After a second ACL surgery, LVC junior Trey Diana left football to focus on pitching for the Dutchmen.
For two years at LVC, Diana played both football and baseball. In the fall he strapped on pads for the football team; in the spring he toed the rubber for baseball. Ask anyone in either locker room and one will hear how Trey is a great athlete and an even better human off the field.
This year, he’ll only be stepping on the baseball diamond.
A serious leg injury derailed Diana’s football career and forced him to undergo another ACL surgery over the summer. Stepping away from the football field wasn’t part of his plan, but the decision was clear. He wanted to protect his health and invest everything in the sport where he’s become a major piece of LVC’s pitching staff.
“I stepped away from football for the best interest in my health and future,” Diana said. “Two ACL surgeries was enough for me. I also talked with the head coach about quitting before I tore my ACL the second time. I was losing interest in the sport in general and wasn’t fully healthy from my first surgery. Once I found out I injured my knee again, I knew that would be the last snap of football I will ever play again. I was okay with that decision and the way it played out.”
Injury stories can read like endings, but Diana’s feels like a pivot.
There’s also the simple reality that no rehab plan can ruin Trey’s presence in the baseball locker room. For years, Diana introduced himself as an athlete in two sports. Letting go of one of them is never easy.
Since surgery, Diana has poured his energy into baseball preparation even if his role looks a little different for now.
“I’ve been doing a ton of physical therapy to get ready for the season,” he said. “I’ve gone out of my way to be an even better teammate since there’s not much else I can do for the baseball team currently. I’ve been throwing periodically to make sure that once I’m cleared to pitch, my arm isn’t the one that’s behind.”
And when asked about the pressure of being the lone returning starter for the pitching rotation after the departure of Hunter Williams and Jacob Detweiler, Diana doesn’t shy away.
“Sure, there is definitely some pressure, I love the pressure. It makes sports in general fun, and that’s why we love it and sports all around the world are heavily followed. I believe in the rest of the team that we will have 2+ quality starters that can fill any holes that have generated in our starting rotation. Overall, the coaches have automatically assumed I will be back and fully ready to go, which is some pressure. But all the pressure really lies within the team and my teammates. I hate letting my team down and every time I have a chance to start on the mound, it’s another opportunity to prove to my teammates that I belong there. So that’s where the pressure lies for me, but I love it, and it keeps me pursuing to be better.”
Trey is showing tremendous grit with his journey thus far. Many would give up after facing this challenge, but Trey is using it as a steppingstone along his collegiate journey.