BOURNE, Ma. - Jake Walman was in search of a school with strong academics. The St. John Paul High School senior was admittedly surprised where he found one.

“I was looking for high academics around the northeast,” Walman reflected about his college recruitment. “Ivy, NESCAC, Bryant, Seton Hall …. I wanted high academics, particularly Ivy. Maryland wasn’t on our radar. But they came into the picture during a tournament. I started looking into it and they have good academics.”

The connection began at the end of July and a month later the 26th-rated 2022 catcher in New England was committed to the Big 10 school.

“My coach reached out to them and they came to a tournament at Diamond Nation,” Walman noted. “I guess they liked it and they came to my next one. After that I talked to all four coaches on the staff and they had me do some assignments to make sure I fit the character aspect. They want guys that will make the team better, make the energy better.”

The 17-year-old passed the test.

“They liked my answers to the questions they asked,” pointed out Walman, who also watched a video on the culture at Maryland. “With catching, they like the way I receive the ball and my arm. They also like the way I swing the bat. But they really made sure I fit the character aspect. That makes me excited to be around guys like me.”

A visit brought assurance that Maryland was the right place for the 13th-rated senior catcher in Massachusetts

“They showed me and my father around campus,” Walman related. “The campus was awesome. And I loved the school of business. It checked all the boxes.

“The coaching staff was the biggest reason,” Walman added about what sold him on the university located in College Park, a little more than seven hours from his home in Bourne, Ma. “They will make me better baseball-wise and also make me a better person.”

An offer came a few days before the visit and Walman committed a couple of weeks after.

“I looked at all my options,” Walman noted. “After I sat down and looked, it was clear they were my only option.”

The idea of playing baseball at the next level is only a recent development for the 12th-ranked uncommitted 2022 New England catcher prior to making his college commitment.

“After my freshman year of high school some of the guys I was playing with were going on to play in college,” Walman explained. “That’s when I started thinking about it and it became a dream for me.

“Then my sophomore summer going into junior year with Covid and all, I sent out a lot of video. That’s when I started getting interest from schools. This summer they were able to come see me. The foundation with coaches took place the first summer which helped me prepare for the second summer.”

Help came along the way from a pair of coaches.

“One thing that was invaluable was my summer team,” the 5-11 180-pounder said. “My coach, Jared Evans with Team Boston, was able to reach out to them. He was critical in my recruitment. My local legion coach, Brian Tomasini, who I also play for, gave me tips on recruiting and I’m grateful for that.”

Improvement was also vital in getting interest from a school like Maryland.

“I work out a lot in terms of baseball exercises,” Walman noted. “If you have free time either get in the gym or go do skill work. That’s what I’ve lived by.”

As for his game behind the plate, Walman is as dedicated as they come.

“Since I first started baseball I’ve been catching,” Walman said. “My coach stuck me back there and I absolutely love that position. I’ve never had a catching lesson, I watch video and how other catchers do their work.”

Finance or entrepreneurship are majors being considered with a minor in criminal justice for Walman, who carries a 4.25 GPA.

“I consider myself a strong leader,” pointed out Walman. “I’ve been class president and National Honor Society president.”

Walman also believes he can be a major asset on the field for the Maryland program.

“I consider myself a defense-first catcher,” Walman said. “I’ll be a great teammate, somebody that is working hard to get better every day.”

The opportunity to do that at Maryland is a blessing.

“It was definitely a huge burden off me and my family’s shoulders,” Walman said of making a commitment. “For me to know where I’m going heading into my senior year and love the place where I’m going is a huge piece of mind.

“Playing college baseball has been a goal and now that I’ve achieved it, I can work even harder now to get better.”