As a child, Eric Colaco ’25 fell asleep at night clutching his baseball glove to his chest — a security blanket made of leather, lace, and dreams.
His mother, Amy, cannot recall how long he clung to the mitt, but baseball’s grip on her youngest son only tightened. While he played other sports growing up in suburban Cleveland, only one was his passion.
Amy remembers how a family babysitter failed to convert Colaco, a diehard Guardians supporter, into a Yankees fan.
“Eric is very loyal,” his mother said.
Denison baseball coach Mike Deegan and the Big Red have learned all about Colaco’s love of the game and his unwavering commitment.
As a sophomore, the speedy outfielder played almost the entire season — through an NCAA regional appearance — with a torn labrum in his right shoulder. Following recovery from shoulder surgery, which jeopardized his return in the spring of 2024, Colaco worked his way back to lead the Big Red to their best season in program history, falling just short of a World Series appearance.
Colaco, reigning D3Baseball.com Division III Player of the Year, isn’t satisfied.
“Getting to an NCAA Super Regional for the first time was really cool,” he said. “But we have the talent on this team to get back. Having a chance to win a World Series is something I want to experience. I really want to do it with this team.”
Conquering adversity
The essence of Colaco’s competitiveness can be illustrated in one sequence — the one in which he was injured against Spalding University on March 5, 2023.
Diving back to first base to avoid a pick-off attempt, something he’s done hundreds of times, Colaco jammed his right shoulder and immediately felt a surge of pain. Instead of coming out of the game, he stole second base on the next pitch.
After receiving assurances from doctors that he could do no further damage to his shoulder, Colaco remained in the lineup. He didn’t miss a game during his sophomore season, leading the Big Red in hits (76), home runs (10), and stolen bases (38). His only concession on offense was sliding feet rather than head first.
“As soon as I realized I could still swing a bat, there was no way I wasn’t playing,” said the two-time NCAC player of the year.
What Colaco wasn’t expecting to do, however, was play the field again late in the 2023 season. The injury made throwing the ball a challenge.
But when one of the team’s starting outfielders got hurt, Colaco relinquished his role as designated hitter, grabbed his mitt, and returned to his natural position. He didn’t commit a single error as Denison went 36-10 and qualified for the NCAA tournament.
“The reason we all rave about Eric is he’s a special player and a special person,” coach Mike Deegan said. “It’s hard to put into words what he’s meant to the program. When your best players are that selfless, it’s tough for others to complain.”
Triumphant return
In the final weeks of the 2023 fall semester, Colaco sat in Deegan’s office for an emotional meeting. Months after shoulder surgery, the outfielder was not close to returning to action.
Everything else about his life on The Hill was great for the economics major. But he had chosen Denison not only for a quality liberal arts education but also for the chance to play a sport that still made him feel like that kid who slept with his glove.
“It was a tough time,” Amy recalled. “Any parent can appreciate what it’s like to see their child struggle. Eric came home for the holidays and started seeing a physical therapist.”
That was the turning point. Colaco worked diligently on his rehab and continued with the Denison training staff. He felt his shoulder grow stronger. His range of motion returned.
He singled in the season opener and finished the year ranked first among Division III players in doubles (28), second in runs (79), and third in hits (89) and stolen bases (42). The Big Red won a school-record 42 games and reached the super regional final series.
Deegan was thrilled to see Colaco’s efforts rewarded with national player-of-the-year recognition.
“He’s a star at this level that doesn’t act like a star,” Deegan said. “He pours himself into the team.”
Colaco spent the summer of 2024 playing for the Chillicothe (Ohio) Paints of the Prospect League and was voted its top player by league managers. The outfielder looks to lead the Big Red to a national title in 2025 before playing professionally.
“He’s gonna be a pro player, I have no doubts about that,” Deegan said. “It’s just a matter of getting the right opportunity. He’s got the talent and drive to be a pro.”
