Wil Hoyle, son of Henderson’s Wilson Hoyle, has been a key player for Duke University’s baseball team but will be heading to Mississippi St. for his final year of college eligibility next season. Hoyle entered the transfer portal. His change of schools is all about new challenges and, as Hoyle puts it, “experiencing something new at Mississippi State.”
Hoyle had nothing but wonderful things to say about his time with the Blue Devils lavishing praise on the staff, coaches and the relationships that he has formed at Duke. He also didn’t neglect his studies while there either garnering two degrees including a Masters in Management Studies.
On the field, Hoyle had 17 RBI and 4 home runs with a batting average of .207 and a .333 on base average for the 2022 season. “I wasn’t ready to be a batter,” Hoyle said of starting at Duke a few years back. He was a diligent defensive player but putting on weight and getting stronger has helped him on the offensive side, and Hoyle excels at switch hitting which adds value to his team.
Hoyle received extra eligibility because of covid and its effects on sports scheduling during 2020. When the baseball season was shut down that year, Hoyle said there were heavy emotions in the locker room. He had just had a break out game just prior to the shutdown, and Duke was ranked 8th in the country at the time. Duke and Hoyle survived covid and won the ACC Championship last season. “That’s something I will never forget,” Hoyle said.
Now, with one year left in his college career, Hoyle says he will play whatever role that is needed at Mississippi State. While Duke is a major college power in basketball, Mississippi State is that type of school in baseball. Duke’s baseball stadium seats only 2,000 people but at Mississippi State he will play in front of 15,000 fans. It’s a big step for the Durham native, but he is looking forward to family coming from Henderson and Durham to see him play at Mississippi State just as they have come to games at Duke.
For more on Hoyle at Mississippi St. baseball, visit a wonderful SI article we also turned up. https://www.si.com/college/mississippistate/baseball/mississippi-state-baseball-transfer-commitment-wil-hoyle-duke-blue-devils
AND CLICK PLAY FOR OUR WIZS INTERVIEW WITH WIL!