NORTH HAVEN, Ct. - “I couldn’t stop smiling for five days.”

That is how Jayden Novak felt after a trip to the College of Charleston culminated in an offer and commitment for the Hamden Hall High School sophomore.

“I visited over Halloween weekend and I loved it,” Novak reflected. “It’s a nice little city. It felt perfect, it felt like home. The whole community of Charleston is so supportive with great people there. Plus, they have new facilities coming with a baseball stadium, training room and conference room, so it’s super exciting.”

Finding a college home was not easy for the fourth-rated 2024 catcher in New England.

“To be honest, I had no knowledge about any of it until right when it happened with Charleston,” Novak said about a recruiting process that had some interest from Rutgers, Penn State and Pittsburgh, but no other visits or phone calls. “Once I got with Clubhouse we went to Florida and some regional tournaments in New Jersey and Staten Island and it exposed me to a lot. It helped me figure out where I fit in with a school and what my competition level is, especially when we were in Florida. It gave me a perspective of where I would succeed most in a school.”

There was also help from PBR in an attempt to get his name out there.

“I was supposed to go to the Future Games but I broke my finger,” Novak explained. “I went to the Junior Future Games in Dubois (in 2020) and a couple of underclass showcases that definitely benefited with my numbers and how I was progressing from when I first went in eighth grade to where I am now.”

Reclassifying last year also played a role in the process.

“My main reason I wanted to reclassify, which took place before Covid hit, was that I wanted to be more physically mature compared to everyone else,” Novak related. “It definitely benefited me. I feel more mature and I brought my grades up. I feel like I'm a much more responsible person and student.”

The numbers with PBR show a better player as well, with pop time dropping from 2.17 to 1.97, 60 time improving from 8.3 to 7.5 and exit velo going from 83 to 95.

“It’s really beneficial to see my progression,” the 16-year-old stated.

Interest from College of Charleston started at a Clubhouse showcase for uncommitted players.

“I had interest in the College of Charleston before the showcase and I wanted to get them to find interest in me,” Novak noted. “Coach (Kevin) Nichols (the associate head coach and recruiting coordinator) was there. It was the beginning of fall and I just joined Clubhouse at the end of summer. I talked to him four or five days after the showcase and he really liked my projectability.”

An understanding that work in the weight room was important came into play.

“I didn’t really work out much during the season, I did in the winter, but that’s what he wanted to see improve,” Novak explained. “I’ve been hard at it in the gym ever since, doing baseball workouts.”

More improvement is the goal for the 18th-ranked 2024 in New England.

“I need to run faster, get bigger and develop more of my body,” the 6-1 190-pounder pointed out.”I need to drop unneeded weight so I can just perform when I get there.”

Novak, who carries a 3.74 GPA and is considering accounting, finance or marine biology as a college major, feels he can be a huge asset to the Colonial Athletic Association program in South Carolina, located 14 hours from home.

“I want to be a leader for sure,” Novak said. “I love supporting the team and supporting the community. I want to do as much as I can outside of baseball, be respectful and be a productive player on the team.”

A dream since middle school, the opportunity to play at the next level brings much happiness.

“It’s always been a life goal and it still is,” Novak said of playing college baseball. “I want to start, I don’t want to sit the bench.”

Novak is expected to fit in at catcher and third base with Charleston, while first base and designated hitter are also possibilities for the sixth-ranked sophomore in Connecticut.

“Once I saw the campus and saw the field it felt perfectly right to me,” Novak concluded about his college decision. “It felt like home. I couldn’t stop smiling for five days. It was the best feeling ever.”