29 October 2025
Team Australia U18 infielder commits to JUCO powerhouse Weatherford College
There aren’t many better junior college baseball programs than what you’ll find at Weatherford College.
Victorian national champion and Team Australia U18 infielder Will Hardy is about to be apart of it.
“I’m honoured,” says a pride filled Hardy, a product of Newport Baseball Club. “Thank you to Coach Kinzy and the Weatherford coaching staff for this opportunity. I look forward to getting on campus and playing for you.”
The Texas-based junior college has turned into a bit of a wagon.
Over the past three seasons, the Weatherford Coyotes boast a record of 146-39 (.789 win percentage). They’ve won the last three conference championships and ripped off win streaks of 20 games.
“They’re a top three to five program in the country in arguably the toughest conference and region,” says Baseball Australia’s Player Development Manager Andrew Riddell.
The program has been instrumental in developing Major Leaguers like Jake Arrieta and Ryan Brasier.
Now, the Coyotes will play a role in Hardy’s development.
The Newport Rams 18-year-old infielder largely parks himself at third base and short stop – a role he has played in the last 12 months with Victoria at the Australian Youth Championships, Team Australia at the 2025 U18 World Cup, on the MLB International Team and currently with the Melbourne Aces in Korea.
Hardy possesses strong speed, high-end defense and excellent bat-to-ball skills.
That was on display in Okinawa at the U18 World Cup in September. Hardy hit .346 with six RBI and two stolen bases in eight games.
“He was one of our best and most influential players,” said U18 national team coach Jason Pospishil after the tournament.
Hardy says he is looking to improve his overall game at college.
“I plan on getting bigger, stronger, faster and taking my game to the next level,” he says. “I’m looking to improve my power but overall my entire game.”
Riddell says Hardy is proof of what hard-work, an understanding of self-reflection and awareness looks like.
“He missed out on selection in 2024 for the Team Australia U17 trip to Fort Myers and went back home and put a plan in place with the help of Damian Shanahan and Kelii Zablan at Baseball Victoria to work on his swing, speed, strength, and athleticism and worked hard at it every day,” says Riddell. “We were able to see that progression in-game with his performance in January at AYC and it continued throughout 2025 at our national selection camp, the U18 World Cup & the MLB trip.”
Off the back of the MLB trip, Riddell travelled to Texas to meet with some of the current Australian college players. A conversation with the Weatherford staff about Will, the player, and the person he is occurred.
After a few zoom calls between Weatherford and Hardy, an opportunity popped up.
“The relationship with the Weatherford staff and Baseball Australia continues to be strong after Bjay Cooke had committed and now Will is now another part of that,” says Riddell. “He and his family were ecstatic with the developmental focus of the program and the conversations with the coaching staff and saw it as a no-brainer when the full-ride scholarship was offered.”
Hardy now has an opportunity at the current third ranked program in the country to take his game to the next level and turn the heads of Division 1 recruiting coordinators and professional scouts in the hardest conference and region in junior college baseball.
“We’ve seen it happen now with multiple hitters from the national U18 program the last few years and we can’t wait to see the name he makes for himself at Weatherford and beyond,” says Riddell.
It’s not lost on Hardy who helped him reach this point – it’s his community.
“Every single player and coach who has been part of my journey I just want to say thank you to everyone who has helped me along the way.”
He starts with his immediate family.
“My parents have been massive in my journey, they have sacrificed so much time over the years for me. My dad has played over 600 games and is still playing. I’ve being going to his games for as long as I can remember,” says Hardy. “I was the bat boy of the first grade team for five years and learnt a lot just sitting there watching. My Dad, Uncle, Nan, Pop and Great Uncle are life members at Williamstown baseball runs in my family.”
He also says the baseball community was supportive in his journey, crediting the Performance Pathways Program at Baseball Victoria led by Damien Shanahan and Kelli Zablan as well as his coaches at Newport.
“The coaching staff worked with me over the past four years and got the best of me. They made me into the player I am today,” he says. “Sean Arnott was my first senior first grade coach at Newport and he gave me confidence at a young age that I could compete at a high level. I’ve also been lucky to play at North Balwyn under Neil Burke for the past two seasons. To play with some of the Melbourne Aces guys to refine the little things about my game has [also helped].”
Congratulations, Will! We will be following with great interest.
