Having played baseball for over a decade, Dominick (Dom) McIntyre is the perfect example of both a respected teammate and a valued leader on the field. 

He started playing baseball in his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia when he was just nine years old. What began as a simple recreational league sign-up morphed into the dream of playing for a Division 1 university. 

Ever since McIntyre realized he had an above-average talent, compared to his peers, he was “reaching for the stars” in terms of finding a place to play at a higher level. He mentioned how UNA was the most “obvious” choice for him and his family, given both its area of location and its Division 1 level of play. 

McIntyre came to UNA in the fall of 2021 as a starter in the outfield. He played in a total of 37 games, starting as a center fielder for 28 of them. In the field, he had a total of 79 putouts. He finished with a fielding percentage of .976 with two errors in 84 chances and a batting percentage of .175.

His sophomore season proved to be just as successful. McIntyre appeared in 39 games, starting in 34 of them. His batting average for the season was .196, and his fielding percentage was .968. In the outfield, he totaled 58 putouts.

While sometimes struggling with hitting and strikeout during his freshman and sophomore years, McIntyre described the personal decision he had to make as to whether or not playing baseball was something he felt he could do. It was a journey he embarked on, searching for confidence and trust in himself when it came to batting. 

McIntyre’s junior year proved to be one of McIntyre’s most successful seasons. Specifically, the opening home series against Miami (Ohio) happened to be McIntyre’s most memorable game. After falling victim to the final strikeout in inning six, Coach Patten, the hitting coach, told McIntyre to utilize his anger and frustration the next inning. He returned in inning seven to hit his first career home run, which also happened to be a grand slam. “I used that moment, mentally, to tell myself that when I’m locked in, I can compete with anybody,” said McIntyre. As stated by McIntyre himself, “Failure can be used as a weapon.”

Moving forward, he appeared in 47 games his junior season in 2023, starting in 46 of them. He finished with a batting average of .232, totaling 36 hits, and a fielding percentage of .979, totaling his record high of 138 putouts. 

So far in his senior season, McIntyre has earned a batting average of .258 and a fielding average of .987, his highest numbers so far as a Lion. 

In terms of his role as center fielder, McIntyre made mention of how important it is to stay focused in the field, while also keeping himself and his fellow outfielders entertained enough to remain so far out there. “I’m a talker,” said McIntyre. “I like talking to my right and left fielder.” He went on to describe the outfield community’s alternate term, the Legion of Zoom (LOZ). This term happens to be a spinoff of the Seahawks’ defensive name, Legion of Boom and highlights just how cohesive these young men are.

Additionally, McIntyre praised the team for their ability to come together and produce such a well-balanced atmosphere. Not only are they capable of hyping each other upcome practices, but they also hold the capacity to console or calm one another before high-stakes games. 

Fellow fielder and teammate, Andrew Knight, gave accolades to McIntyre for being such a reliable teammate and friend. “When I first got to UNA, Dom was the first person I found myself clicking with,” said Knight. “We are each other’s biggest supporters and want to see each other do great things on and off the field.”

Jonathan Lane, a fielder, continued to admire McIntyre’s character. “As one of the older guys in the group, he is always there for each of us, guiding us along our baseball journey and offering life advice along the way, too,” said Lane. “It’s something I’m extremely grateful for, and it’s a brotherhood that will last a lifetime.”

It is no secret that baseball requires not only strength and agility, but also ample amounts of strategic knowledge. McIntyre made specific note that this aspect drives his passion. “The game within the game is what I love most about baseball,” said McIntyre. “If you’re not mentally focused or prepared, or you don’t have the right plan or approach, you’re going to get exposed, regardless of how far you hit the ball or how fast you can run.”

McIntyre’s leaving advice for upcoming student-athletes is to “stay the course with anything you’re trying to do.” Setting goals is just one aspect of life that breeds success, but it is important to not shy away from them. McIntyre is proof that high goals keep you locked into whatever point in life you are at. 

The Lions continue to pursue their goal of making it to the ASUN Conference Tournament, and McIntyre holds an endless amount of enthusiasm and confidence in his team to help them achieve that goal.