LONGVIEW – Noah Mahoney has been on an ascent ever since he arrived at LeTourneau University four years ago.
 
In more ways than one.
 
"My experience at LETU has been one of extreme change and growth," Mahoney said. "Since beginning my journey as a collegiate student-athlete, I have never found a better family than my team. My growth stemmed from knowing and believing that everyone around me, my professors, my coaches, my teammates and my girlfriend, now wife, supported and challenged me to be a better student, player, teammate and husband."

A senior on the YellowJackets baseball team, Mahoney has grown as a leader, and as a player. As a catcher, he's had to manage many different personalities in his pitchers. He's had to be a leader for the ball club, and a spokesman to the umpires. But he's managed to grow in all facets, becoming a centerpiece on the 2020 team.

Of course, this team's season was prematurely cut short due to the coronavirus just when the YellowJackets were starting to put it together. LeTourneau had just swept a three-game American Southwest Conference series from Mary Hardin-Baylor, and was preparing to host McMurry in another league three-game set in Spring Break. About an hour before McMurry's bus was supposed to roll into Longview, things all changed. McMurry school officials ordered the bus to turn around and return to campus. There would be no more baseball.

Season over.

"There are many what-ifs that result from the season ending, but for me, the most bitter part is knowing that more memories won't be made with my teammates," Mahoney said.  "I enjoyed playing with this team because it was a family. There was not a single selfish guy on the team, and everyone wanted each other to do well. That's what made losing this season so tough.

"It makes you appreciate the things you have because it can be taken away in an instant. 'Play every game like it's your last,' couldn't have been more true for this year. Because of this, I really try not to take anything for granted." 

Mahoney had it taken away just when he had things going in his favor. Through 16 games, he was batting .328 with a team-leading four home runs, 17 RBI and 12 walks. His four home runs were tied for 17^th in NCAA Division III. He had five doubles, which was tied for second on the club. He ended the season on a team-best nine-game hitting streak, spiking his average 190 points.

Mahoney's 12 walks moved him into a tie for fifth place on the school's all-time list with 79. A season earlier, he had 33 walks, which is tied for second on the school's season list. He hit 15 home runs in his career, which is tied for fifth on the all-time list. He was three doubles away from cracking the Top 5. All of those numbers were certain to grow the same way he had.

"Overall, my experience on the LETU baseball team has been amazing," Mahoney said. "I've met some of my closest friends, who really impacted my life. The teammates I've had are the humblest and hardest working guys, and they go out of their way to make sure everyone is felt included."

As a sophomore, he was named to the ASC Tournament Red Bracket All-Tournament Team. Last year, he earned Honorable Mention All-ASC honors. This season, he had potential to add another honor or two. They are memories that he can always take with him.

"My favorite memory is watching Eli Birriel hit his first LETU home run in the 2019 conference tournament," Mahoney said. "Watching a senior get hot at the right time, and being awarded a place on the all-tournament team is something I'll never forget." 

Mahoney was getting hot as a senior, off to his best start as a YellowJacket. He threw out 10 of the 12 runners attempting to steal, including three in one game. In his junior year, he was part of a team that got hot at the end, gliding through the ASC Tournament for an appearance in the league championship series.

More memories.

Of course, at LeTourneau, where a premium is placed on academics, there are times in the classroom Mahoney will never forget. He grew academically at LETU.

"Being an engineering student really forces you to learn how to swim or you sink," he said. "I had to relearn study habits, improve time management, and most importantly, learn how to problem solve. These are also important aspects in my everyday life, and I wouldn't have been able to find success in the classroom without some of my professors. To Mr. Olsen, Mr. Tixier, Mr. Koblich, and Mrs. Gowing, thank you for challenging me in all aspects of my life, and thank you for encouraging me to be the best student-athlete that I could be."

This season, he was one of the YellowJackets' best, for sure. He homered in back-to-back games during a home series. He drove in a career-high six runs in one of those games. He bumped his career RBI total to 79, which is 21 away from cracking into the Top 5 on the school list.

Numbers aside, he may likely define his time at LeTourneau more in terms of intrinsic value.

"I would say that being a student-athlete made me think of others before myself," Mahoney said. "Obviously, you want the best possible team around you, and sometimes that means that you have to sacrifice some of your time to help a teammate. My thought process is now asking myself, 'Does this help or hurt those around me?'"

It's thoughts like those that make Noah Mahoney the shining individual he's become.