West Rusk senior Cole Jackson will be heading to Nebraska after graduating next spring. The shortstop and pitcher recently signed his commitment to further his baseball career at Concordia University.As a junior playing shortstop and pitcher for the West Rusk Raider team that made it to the regional quarterfinals, Jackson was named First Team All District and First Team All East Texas shortstop. Freshman year, he was selected First Team All District Second Baseman and was First Team All District Utility as a sophomore. Jackson has started for the varsity team since freshman year.Jackson made his commitment to Concordia in October and officially signed in November. West Rusk High School will hold a celebratory signing day for their student-athletes who are moving on to collegiate athletics this February.“I’ve been lucky enough to play on some very talented West Rusk baseball teams. We’ve made playoff runs my first three years in this program after having not won a series in close to 10 years before that,” says Jackson. “I feel like I’ve always brought that drive and competitiveness to our program, and this season I aim to bring all that plus some with it being my last. We have a lot of young guys this year that we’re gonna need to step up, but we have the talent to make a deep run and I’m excited to get started.”Jackson spent six to seven weeks talking on the phone with Concordia Assistant Coach Ben Berg getting to know him and their team. Jackson says what helped him make his choice was feeling like Concordia’s recruiters did their due diligence making sure players would be a good fit.“I appreciate that a lot as a player who’s been in the recruitment process for a couple of years. Find a place that wants you and is also a good place to get a degree, and I think Concordia is that for me,” says Jackson. He added that Seward has an ideal “college town” feel that enthusiastically supports their sports teams and the Concordia campus is small and walkable. “Coming from a small 3A school, that’s what I’m used to. Concordia is big on creating a certain culture within their program.”Concordia competes in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) along with Doane (NE), Morningside, Briar Cliff (IA), Midland, Northwestern (IA), Jamestown, Mount Marty, Dakota Wesleyan (SD) Hastings and Dordt (IA).

“I’ve been lucky enough to play on some very talented West Rusk baseball teams. We’ve made playoff runs my first three years in this program after having not won a series in close to 10 years before that,” says Jackson. “I feel like I’ve always brought that drive and competitiveness to our program, and this […]

“I’ve been lucky enough to play on some very talented West Rusk baseball teams. We’ve made playoff runs my first three years in this program after having not won a series in close to 10 years before that,” says Jackson. “I feel like I’ve always brought that drive and competitiveness to our program, and this season I aim to bring all that plus some with it being my last. We have a lot of young guys this year that we’re gonna need to step up, but we have the talent to make a deep run and I’m excited to get started.”Jackson spent six to seven weeks talking on the phone with Concordia Assistant Coach Ben Berg getting to know him and their team. Jackson says what helped him make his choice was feeling like Concordia’s recruiters did their due diligence making sure players would be a good fit.Concordia competes in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) along with Doane (NE), Morningside, Briar Cliff (IA), Midland, Northwestern (IA), Jamestown, Mount Marty, Dakota Wesleyan (SD) Hastings and Dordt (IA).Jackson made his commitment to Concordia in October and officially signed in November. West Rusk High School will hold a celebratory signing day for their student-athletes who are moving on to collegiate athletics this February.West Rusk senior Cole Jackson will be heading to Nebraska after graduating next spring. The shortstop and pitcher recently signed his commitment to further his baseball career at Concordia University.As a junior playing shortstop and pitcher for the West Rusk Raider team that made it to the regional quarterfinals, Jackson was named First Team All District and First Team All East Texas shortstop. Freshman year, he was selected First Team All District Second Baseman and was First Team All District Utility as a sophomore. Jackson has started for the varsity team since freshman year.“I appreciate that a lot as a player who’s been in the recruitment process for a couple of years. Find a place that wants you and is also a good place to get a degree, and I think Concordia is that for me,” says Jackson. He added that Seward has an ideal “college town” feel that enthusiastically supports their sports teams and the Concordia campus is small and walkable. “Coming from a small 3A school, that’s what I’m used to. Concordia is big on creating a certain culture within their program.”