(Photo by Jamie Holt/Virginia Sports)
WILLIAMSBURG — Luke Hanson, a sophomore at the University of Virginia (UVA) and third baseman for Cavalier baseball, recalls watching UVA win the 2015 College World Series with his dad. In 2024, he earned a chance to play in the College World Series himself.
Hanson, a Lafayette High School graduate, spent three years on the field for the Rams. Hanson was named the 2020-21 757 Male Athlete of the Year, received the 2021-22 Gordy Tutman Award (LHS’s award for most outstanding student-athlete of the year), and was ranked as the number four shortstop and number 14 player overall in the commonwealth.
“Lafayette was amazing. I enjoyed all three years of it, all three were great. I had two head coaches that were really instrumental. It’s a lot different kind of baseball at Lafayette. We go out there and we play hard, play scrappy, and play to win. By no means were we the most talented team every year, but we competed and we found ways to win when it counted,” Hanson said.
Hanson committed to play baseball at UVA in the summer between his freshman and sophomore years of high school, and the recruiting process began before he even entered the halls of Lafayette.
“I didn’t really understand too much of it at the time. It was kind of new to me and my family. It was really hard to imagine the four years of my life after the next four years of high school before I had even gotten there. It was definitely eye-opening to see that at 15 years old I was going to have to make a decision on what I wanted to do four years from now. With guidance from my mom and dad and coaches, it made it a little easier,” Hanson said.
During the 2024 regular season, Hanson played third base for the Cavaliers. He was confident that his team could compete against some of the top teams in the nation.
“We had a great regular season and we had our ups and downs of course. We had some injuries pitching-wise and really dealt with the ups and downs of college baseball. We started off really well and played really good baseball, in the middle of the way, we struggled at times and couldn’t figure some things out, but that just happens. We ended up competing and finding ways to win when we weren’t feeling the best,” Hanson said.
Headed into the post-season, the University of Virginia faced a long road of NCAA tournament competition. In the Charlottesville regional, Virginia faced Penn and Mississippi State in a double-elimination tournament. The Cavaliers won and secured a spot as one of the eight teams invited to play in the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.
“Getting to Omaha, you have to pat yourself on the back. It’s a very hard thing to do, it’s unbelievable what this team has been able to accomplish and what this coaching staff has helped us do,” Hanson said.
When the team landed in Omaha, Hanson tried to take in the entire experience.
“I really wanted to understand what playing in the College World Series is all about. I wanted to figure out what it meant to compete in Omaha and win in Omaha. All of those things are very hard to do, but we got there and got straight to business. I enjoyed it a lot and spent a lot of time with the guys. Omaha is a wonderful experience, but when it comes to the games, you have to focus,” Hanson said.
Taking the field in Omaha was a moment Hanson won’t soon forget.
“How amazing is it that I got to be there? You see it on TV all the time and then you get there and you realize that this is legit. When that place is filled up with fans, it’s an unbelievable feeling,” Hanson said.
The University of Virginia played against both the University of North Carolina and Florida State, ultimately getting knocked out of the series in the first round.
Hanson will return to the Cavaliers for the 2025 season and has hopes of ending up in Omaha again and coming home as a national champion.
“The name Virginia across my chest every time I step on the field is an absolute honor to wear. Not only that, I play for that on the front of the jersey. Being a Virginia guy, it means more to me than maybe some others and I’ll forever cherish that.”
