Pitcher Eric Luksis Wants to Help UT to a Championship

Born in West Palm Beach Fla., pitcher Eric Luksis loves the sunshine, but had to give it up when he moved to New York as a young child. Happy to be back in Florida, he plans play out his final season of UT baseball as if they were his last games ever.

Although Luksis has been playing baseball for 20 years, he was a well-rounded athlete in high school. He played many sports-noting football, basketball and hockey. He shared his father's knack for basketball, but narrowed his focus and energy toward baseball around his senior year of high school.

"I have a pretty athletic family, but it was mainly basketball. I kinda went the other way and started playing baseball," he explains.

After getting attention from colleges for baseball, he sought to avoid injury from other sports. Along with Luksis' inherent talent for the sport, his dedication to baseball reflects his passion.

"Baseball's always been my favorite sport; it's not even close," he says. "I just have a great time playing it. It was definitely made for me."

Luksis became committed to the sport he loves. He had to work hard and fight through various injuries throughout the years. His throwing skills were honed early on. Since the age of 14, he's "strictly" been a pitcher. He didn't start pitching for UT until his junior year of college, however.

Luksis spent his first two years after high school at Manhattan College in the Bronx, "a mid-major" Division I school where he won a MAAC championship-one of his proudest accomplishments-and competed in the Gainesville Regional.

Despite a good experience at Manhattan, Luksis says he was "ready for something new"-namely a national championship-and sought to transfer after his sophomore year. In pursuit of that national championship, Luksis researched Division II schools to transfer to and found a good fit at UT.

Baseball head coach Joe Urso had happened to see him pitching on TV at the Gainesville Regional. "I called him two weeks later," Luksis explains. "And he remembered watching me on TV and never expected me to call him."

The recruitment was made and Luksis joined the Spartans his junior year, hungry for a national championship.

During his first year playing ball for UT, the team won its conference but subsequently lost early on in the Regionals, eliminating the chance of a championship.

This year, as a senior, Luksis is giving his all to finally obtain what he came here for; and he has good reason to be hopeful.

"Right now we're ranked number 2 in the country and we're playing some good ball. I think we've still yet to play our best baseball, which is good. Hopefully we can get hot at the right time in a month."

With three more conference weekends left, regionals is nearing and anticipation is building. As long the team plays ball as they know how, Luksis thinks they will be in good shape.

Should the team do well, opportunities will inevitably open up for Luksis who hopes to continue playing baseball after college. "It's always been a dream to go to the next level and play," he says. "No matter what level it is, it's a goal of mine." His hope is to be drafted, which he will know of the first week in June.

As a physical education major, Luksis intends to be closely associated with baseball, even if he can't play professionally. "Sports will always be in my life," he says. Alongside ultimately wanting to be drafted, Luksis has a desire to coach college baseball at a big university.

The thought of life after college is becoming an increasingly vivid reality for Luksis. He says it all became clear as he noticed the slim number of games left this season. "It just hit me the other day. I'm gonna play those four games like they are the last four games I will ever play."

Fond memories of Tampa baseball will undoubtedly remain with Luksis after he leaves. He says the team is the closest of any he's ever been on noting the complete unity of the teammates, free of any cliques or incompatibilities. "We all really like each other which is really good for a team atmosphere."

As a pitcher on the team, Luksis embodies a leadership role and emphasizes conducting himself as a positive model both on and off the field. He says he tries to do things "the right way" and wants to be someone who younger guys on the team can look up to.

This quality compliments the character of a strong leader, something Luksis aspires to be after college as he stresses his dream to coach college baseball. Along the pathway to that dream, UT baseball has been significant for Luksis. "I love it down here, he says. "One of the best decisions I ever made was to come down here."

Although he'll most likely return to New York after graduating, Luksis definitely wants to come back to Florida. For now, he says he's excited to graduate and that looming reality is "humbling."

Before that happens though, Luksis has his mind and heart set on taking gold this season and achieving what he's always wanted-something he came here specifically to do. "To win a national championship would just cap off this career of mine. It's been a dream, so that'd be the way to end it."

Written by Anya Proctor