LA JOLLA, Calif. – The UC San Diego baseball team announced the signing of eight incoming scholar-athletes to National Letters of Intent as the Tritons enter their first year as a Division I program in the Big West Conference.
 
"We have signed a talented group of scholar-athletes that are ready to compete in the Big West," UC San Diego head coach Eric Newman said. "The eight signees include pitchers with explosive fastballs and pitchability, middle of the field defenders and power bats. The average GPA of the group is over 4.0, and we know these athletes will be high achievers both on and off the field. I have enjoyed spending time with the athletes and their families on Zoom and I am looking forward to having them as members of our University and baseball communities."
 
LEX DILLON/6-5/RHP/Rocklin, Calif./Whitney HS

• Participated in the 2020 Area Code Games featuring more than 220 of the top high school players across the country
• Was a top-five pitcher in the PBR Procase in 2020

 
FROM DILLON:
"I chose UC San Diego because of its strong academic profile, athletic program, and beautiful location and campus."
 
FROM NEWMAN:
"Lex used the time of the quarantine to work hard on his body and his strength, putting on 20 pounds and picking up 4-5 mph on his fastball. His work ethic did not go unnoticed as he represented Northern California in the Area Code games this summer. He is 6-foot-5 and is just scratching the surface. We are extremely excited to see how Lex will develop as a Triton."
 
AUSTIN SMITH/5-10/OF/LHP/El Cajon, Calif./Granite Hills HS

• Ranked the No. 16 outfielder in California by Prep Baseball Report
• Played travel ball with SD Dovetail, San Diego Stars and currently with CBA
• Also played football in high school and led his team to a Grossmont Hills League championship in 2018

 
FROM SMITH:
"I chose UC San Diego because the school has a great baseball program and is a great academic university. I am blessed to be able to stay and play baseball in San Diego where my family can watch."
 
FROM NEWMAN:
"Austin will have a chance to be an impactful freshman both on the mound and in the outfield. He does two things we really like: he hits and pitches from the left side. His high school coach has called him one of the best centerfielders he has coached. He has been compared to Trenton Brooks, a former two-way player out of Granite Hills who is currently playing AA baseball."
 
LUKE SOLIS/6-0/INF/Chino Hills, Calif./Ruben S. Ayala HS

• Team MVP in freshman year (2018)
• High school team was Loara Tournament champions in 2020 and runner-up in 2019
• Travel ball team Sports Academy Dukes was Arizona Junior Olympic champions in 2019
• Named to the Perfect Game All-Tournament First Team

 
FROM SOLIS:
"I picked UC San Diego for its great coaching staff, location, strong academics and solid baseball program."
 
FROM NEWMAN:
"We are extremely excited about Luke. He is a slick infielder. We believe he will play the left side of the infield early in his career. He has experience at both third base and shortstop at a high level. We feel that he will continue the long tradition of exceptional Triton infielders."
 
NOLAN MCCRACKEN/6-2/RHP/Windsor, Colo./ Windsor HS

• Ranked the No. 14 right-hander in Colorado by Prep Baseball Report
• High school team won a conference title in 2019 and hosted regionals that same year
• Named Perfect Game West Regional All-American Honorable Mention
• Currently ranked fifth in his graduating class in weighted GPA

 
FROM MCCRACKEN:
"I chose UC San Diego because it had the mix between a school that valued academic excellence and a very competitive baseball program. Additionally, I felt a connection with the coaches and their developmental plan for me more so than any of the other programs that recruited me. UC San Diego's top-notch facilities, campus, and overall location was very important to me too. San Diego is a place that I could see myself living in beyond college."
 
FROM NEWMAN:
"Nolan is our lone out-of-state recruit. He is bringing a fastball that he has run up to 93 mph. We feel with his strength, size and electric arm, Nolan should have a significant role early in his career."
 
MATTHEW DALQUIST/5-10/RHP/Redondo Beach, Calif./Redondo Union HS

• Ranked the No. 25 right-hander in California by Prep Baseball Report.
• High school team was a 2019 CIF Southern Section Division II semifinalist and the 2020 El Segundo Tournament champions
• Named the 2020 El Segundo Tournament MVP Pitcher and second team all-Bay League in 2019
• Made Principal's Honor Roll all four years and AP Euro Student of the Year during the 2018-19 school year.
• Travel ball team was a 2020 Perfect Game World Champion

 
FROM DALQUIST:
"I chose UC San Diego over other programs because it is an excellent academic school, and its location in La Jolla offers great weather (especially for baseball) and fun activities off campus. I was also attracted to the Data Science program and the recent success of the baseball program. I wish to do my best to continue this success as the program moves to Division I."
 
FROM NEWMAN: 
"Matthew is a pitcher that possesses the skills to fill a role immediately. He attacks hitters with an upper 80s to low 90s fastball and has command of multiple offspeed pitches. A mature player that thrives in competitive situations, Dalquist is a scholar-athlete that we expect to compete at a high level both in the classroom and on the field for the Tritons."
 
RYAN FORCUCCI/6-2/RHP/San Marcos, Calif./San Marcos HS

• During the 2019-20 high school season, had an ERA of 0.00 and struck out 18 out of 50 batters
• Named to the 2020 Perfect Game preseason underclassman All-American Team
• 2019 Perfect Game 16u Pacific Coast Invitational All-Tournament Team

 
FROM FORCUCCI
"I was really impressed with the baseball program and coaching staff. I feel that I will be able to excel and develop my pitching skills."
 
FROM NEWMAN:
"Ryan has been a lot of fun to recruit. We first started watching him throw in the middle of his sophomore year. At that time, he was around 80-82 mph. He is a rarity in the recruiting world today. Instead of having to make a quick judgment call, we were able to go through the process with him and watch him develop both physically and as a pitcher. He now has a fastball that he can run up to 90 mph and a really good changeup to go along with it."
 
MATT HALBACH/6-3/OF/INF/RHP/Los Gatos, Calif./Archbishop Mitty HS

• Ranked the No. 11 outfielder in California by Prep Baseball Report
• Played travel ball for Trosky National
• Named to the honor roll every semester of high school
• Also played basketball in high school

 
FROM HALBACH:
"I chose UC San Diego because it seems like the best place for me to develop as a player and continue my aspirations to play professionally. The staff and program believes in me, and is the best fit for me to play ball. It is also an elite academic university in a great location which is very important to me."
 
FROM NEWMAN:
"Matt is a big and physical right-handed hitter that has the ability to play multiple spots on the field including corner infield and corner outfield as well as pitch. We see Matt as a middle of the order type of bat early in his career. He has been compared to another Northern California product and current big leaguer, Stephen Piscotty."
 
ZACK ERNISSE/6-0/LHP/OF/Temecula, Calif./Chaparral HS

• Played travel ball for Menace Baseball club
• Was a member of the honor roll

 
FROM ERNISSE:
"I picked UC San Diego because the school is academically inclined in engineering, the field that I would like to pursue, and also has a great baseball program where I feel like I can really develop as a player. Also, it's location is perfect for me with it being somewhat local and close to the beach."
 
FROM NEWMAN:
"Zack is an extremely athletic left-handed pitcher and left-handed hitting outfielder. The minute he steps on campus, he might be the fastest player on the field. We are very excited to see what this explosive athlete will do for the Tritons in the next few years."
 
UC San Diego has begun a four-year transition to Division I and will play as a member of the Big West Conference beginning this season.

About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program begins a new era in 2020 as a member of the Big West Conference in NCAA Division I.  The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions III and II and helped guide more than 1,300 scholar-athletes to All-America honors.  A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 37 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships.  UC San Diego student-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions.