One of Nansemond-Suffolk Academy’s foremost baseball standouts has made his college choice with a goal toward growing his opportunities on the diamond in future years.

Senior Toby Buchanan committed last week to play for Louisburg College, a junior college.

Saints coach David Mitchell said, “I’ve coached some kids who’ve gone there in the past, and the student-athletes who go there, typically after one or two years, transfer to Division I schools.”

Buchanan is hoping for a similar opportunity.

“Every kid’s dream is to play Division I sports, whether it be football or baseball, and going to a junior college gives you that option to get in two years and maybe one year,” he said. “So, it all depends on how I play and just how I carry myself in the next two years.”

Though the goal of further achievement is on his mind, Buchanan expressed his joy in having drawn the interest of Louisburg.

“It’s something I’ve worked for my whole life, so it’s nice to have a college reach out to you and ask for that commitment out of you,” he said.

Some players have college on their mind only once they reach high school, but for Buchanan, it was part of his thinking even at the age of 9, when he started playing in Deep Creek.

“There’s always been the idea of going on to the next level, and that’s my goal, is to go as high as I can,” he said.

The baseball side of the agreement with Louisburg includes a roster spot, and Buchanan’s performance in the classroom will help him out financially.

“Toby is going into their honors program there,” Mitchell said. “Academically, he’s got a very good opportunity to earn lots of scholarship money just based on his academic performance here. His grades are unbelievable, as good as they can be.”

Buchanan said he was talking to Randolph-Macon College but ultimately decided Louisburg was the best option.

“The baseball program at Louisburg is very highly thought of, so the opportunity to play at a program like Louisburg is very hard to come by,” he said, underscoring part of the reason he wanted to take advantage of it. “Being able to maybe turn that into a Division I scholarship really is what set it apart from Randolph-Macon for me.”

It was not long prior to his commitment that he first contacted Louisburg.

“I went to one of their camps three weeks, four weeks before committing Tuesday, so that was my initial contact with them and after that it just fell into place,” Buchanan said. “I really enjoy the coaching staff and what they can contribute to my athletic ability and also my baseball knowledge. So, I really thought it was a great fit for me.”

Buchanan, who will be entering his fifth year in a varsity baseball program this spring, is expected to play shortstop at Louisburg. He has had previous experience at the position during his sophomore year and will play there again this season with the Saints.

He plans to major in biology.