When he was in T-ball, he was a third baseman. When he moved up to baseball, he was a third baseman. In middle school, he was a third baseman. As he prepared for high school, he had planned to stay as a third baseman. However, that all changed in 2021, when both of his team’s catchers were out, and he filled the position. While the change was meant to be temporary, it eventually led to one of the most important decisions of his life. 

Four years after transitioning to catcher, Quinn Bergman will continue his baseball career at Ottawa University. The school reached out to him after learning about his skills from a teammate who was already committed. 

“They needed a catcher,” Quinn said. “They reached out to me because we played on the same team.”

During his recruitment process, Quinn was in conversation with multiple schools, namely Ouachita Baptist University and Henderson State University. While he liked both programs, he attributes his decision to the welcoming community he found at Ottawa. 

“Everyone knows each other [there,]” “Quinn said. “It’s a very tight-knit community. When I talked to the first coach, we clicked quickly. We talked about my major and the tools they would give me.”

Quinn plans on majoring in sports leadership. He said he wants to use the work ethic he gained in baseball toward his academic endeavors, while continuing his athletic career. 

“[Baseball] has shaped the person I am today,” Quinn said. “You have to live with the ups and downs, especially in baseball — it’s a sport where you’re going to fail a lot. You’re not always going to succeed, but you have to learn to push through it.”