EASTON, Mass. – The 2025-2026 Senior Reflections is a series of annual collections. Senior representatives of teams at Stonehill have been invited to contribute and reflect on their personal experiences over their four-year careers at Stonehill - both on and off the playing surface. 

Ryan Douglas, Baseball
 
Why Stonehill?
When I was looking at colleges, I knew I wanted a smaller setting and wanted to be close to home. I knew about Stonehill because my dad is an alumnus here. After conversations with Coach Boen he gave me the opportunity to continue my baseball career as an athlete at Stonehill. During my visit, I knew Stonehill was going to be a perfect fit for me because of the tight-knit community. I also went to a catholic high school (Xaverian), so Stonehill allowed me to continue to be in a religious environment.  
 
How has Stonehill shaped you as a person?
When I first got to Stonehill I was a little nervous entering a new setting. But I knew within my first semester I made the right choice. I've learned the value of community. During this time, I was able to surround myself with people who challenged and supported me, which completely shaped me into the person I am today. Most of my closest relationships today are from Stonehill. Another aspect that Stonehill provided me with was small class sizes. This allowed me to connect with my professors and classmates rather than just being a name on a long class roster.
 
Best Moments
Looking back on my time on the baseball team there are so many moments that stick out to me. Whether it was spending time with my teammates at practice or lift or traveling to different places across the country. If I had to pick one, my favorite moment athletically was when we beat Army for our first division 1 win my sophomore year. I was fortunate enough to be in a position where I was on the mound for the last out of the game. This was a really special moment for everyone involved on the team. It was a hard-fought tight victory versus a team that was highly respected in division 1 athletics. 

Academically, my best moment was receiving my undergraduate degree and walking the stage at graduation last year. I will remember this day forever as I celebrated with my friends and family. I want to thank everybody at Stonehill who helped me along the way to receiving my degree. I could not have done this without the support of my coaches, professors and administrators. Another moment that sticks out to me is when I received the St Thomas Aquinas Medal. My favorite part of the event was that the student-athletes could invite a professor that made an impact on them at Stonehill,  mine was Professor Robert Smith. I think this was a great gesture to show appreciation to the people that helped us athletes along our journey.

Lessons Learned
One thing I have learned is how much discipline and resilience matters on the field and in the classroom. Baseball has taught me many life lessons but the most important is trust the process even when results don't come right away. Academically I have learned to think critically and manage my time effectively. These things together have shown me that growth does not only come from success, but it comes from learning from your mistakes. 

I have learned many skills that will help me in the future from my time at Stonehill. Over the years I have developed time management skills. Being a student athlete, the days can get busy with practice, lift, traveling and schoolwork. Developing techniques and skills in order to be able to hand in all my work on time while still playing a sport will definitely help me in the workforce. Some other skills include how to advocate for myself and ask for help. 

Being on a team has taught me a lot about how to interact with other people and teammates. This skill will be useful as most jobs entail working with others toward a specific goal. My leadership and communication skills have grown as I am a two-time captain for the baseball team. 
 
To view the past Senior Reflections visit this site: 2025-2026 Senior Reflections. 

For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.