NEWTOWN, Ct. - An August visit to Quinnipiac left no doubt about the future for Spencer Chard.

“As soon as I was there I knew this was the place I wanted to be,” the Canterbury High School senior related. “I’ve been on visits that weren’t the right fit, but Quinnipiac felt like home for the next four years. I like the size of the school and the distance is good so mom and dad can come to see me play.”

The university located one hour from home won out over a number of other Division I, D-II and D-III schools, most from the northeast.

“As far as I’m aware, the first time they saw me was during the high school season last spring,” noted Chard, who turned 18 on Oct. 5. “Coach (John) Delaney came to a few of our games. He talked to my coach and said he liked me and wanted to see me in the summer with Baseball U. Toward the end of summer he reached out to our summer coach and said he wanted me but would have to figure out some roster spots. That’s when I’m thinking this is a step in the right direction. It was one of my top three schools during the summer, and eventually was at the top.”

The love for Quinnipiac continued to grow for the 63rd-rated 2023 in Connecticut.

“Coach Delaney preaches hard work and a gritty tough work ethic which is something I admire and couldn’t agree more with,” explained Chard in reference to head coach, who was a standout at Quinnipiac during his playing days in college. “They have a tradition of taking players to the next level and I think they’ll make me the player I want to be. I feel they truly want me as much as I want to be there.”

The head coach found a lot to like in the 5-9 175-pounder.

“Coach Delaney thinks I’m a solid baseball player,” Chard noted. “I need to work on getting my speed down, but he likes my approach at the plate which can carry me at the next level. They also like my versatility in the infield and also the potential to pitch. I had a velo jump from 85 to 89 so I’m not counting that out yet. I can also play outfield.”

The idea of playing college baseball came between seventh and eighth grade according to Chard.

“I started to hit and field on my own and thinking this is something I want to do for as long as I can,” Chard reflected. “I knew college baseball was in my future and I started really working toward it freshman year.

“The first showcase I did with PBR was in Covid summer and that opened my eyes to the level of talent out there. It showed me I had a long way to go. That was the start of my recruitment. I’ve been to showcases every since, most recently Baseball U Scout Day. PBR really helped get my name out there and helped with exposure, and getting video on my profile also was helpful.”

It was during his repeat junior year of high school at Canterbury that the 165th-ranked 2023 in New England began to draw interest from schools.

“That’s when coaches started coming to my games and asking me to come on a visit,” Chard said.

A 4.0 student last school year with a 3.5 GPA overall, Chard believes he can make a major impact in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference program.

“I’ll bring them somebody with a lot of energy that works hard,” Chard explained. “I play the game as hard as I can no matter the score or stakes of the game. I’m going to play baseball the right way with a lot of passion. I’ll be the player I’ve always been, a high-average guy who hits gap to gap. I want to be a leader, too. I’m someone confident in my abilities who is gonna be a hard-working player who gives 110 percent no matter what.”

To commit with his final year of high school ahead of him was, admittedly, quite exciting.

“It was incredible and a little emotional,” Chard related. “My parents knew how hard I’ve worked for this and how stressful it was not knowing if I’d get to play college baseball at one point. It’s really special and also relieving. There’s a lot of weight off my shoulders not having to worry about being at a place I want to be. I’m where I want to be.”

A major in the business field is a probability for Chard, who looks forward to going to college in his home state of Connecticut.

“The high energy and competitiveness of college baseball is something I can’t wait to be a part of,” Chard concluded. “I’m excited to compete and get to know the team. There’s a strong bond and brotherhood there and I look forward to competing and traveling with them for the next four years.”