Danny Payne reflects on successful year

Whether he is playing football or baseball, Danny Payne has found a way to stand out on and off the field. If asked about it, he credits those around him first for his success.

Payne was recruited heavily going into his senior year at Sequoyah High School in Woodstock, Georgia and not just for baseball. Payne was also a star running back.

He was being recruited by West Virginia, Maryland and Louisville for football only. Tennessee, Florida, and Georgia Southern were recruiting him to play both football and baseball.

"After talking to my family, we decided that playing two sports was a lot to take on," Payne said. "I wanted to play professional baseball, not professional football. I love football and if baseball doesn't work, I'd love to try my hand at it again. I miss the sport knowing that I could've played somewhere, but I wouldn't give this up."

After signing with Tech, Payne found out from Sequoyah baseball coach, Dave Audia, that he was their first ballplayer to play major D-1 baseball.

"It feels good knowing that I'm the first," Payne said. "I know a lot of people are rooting for me and hoping I do well."

Adjusting to college life involves a lot of trial and error for most students, but for an athlete the errors can be a lot more costly at a school like Tech.

"It's something that you learn as you go," Payne said. "You can't really prepare before you get here. Especially at Tech with all the pressures of the academic side and playing baseball, you have to learn to balance everything. It's tough at first, but once you find a routine that works for you, it makes it a lot easier."

Starting with the Florida State series, Payne's batting average began to take a dive. Payne was one of the team leaders with a .348 batting average, but saw his batting average fall drastically when he fell into a 10-game slump.

"School took its toll with finals being there and trying to wrap up the school year," Payne said. "The academic side definitely takes its toll on you because you are so stressed and focused on making the grades that it shows on the baseball field as well."

Payne found older members of the team to be supportive and acknowledges their help.

"Jeremy [Slayden] and Cameron [Lane] have both helped me a great deal," Payne said. "Coming in, everyone is always worried about freshman hazing and there was none of that. They both took me under their wing and showed me the ropes."

Slayden was a major influence on baseball and college life for Payne.

"Jeremy has talked to me and helped me about the draft aspect," Payne said. "He had the great freshman year and then put so much pressure on himself the sophomore year that it had a negative effect on him. He was able to clue me in on what helped him get through everything and try to avoid the same problems."

Payne credits Cameron Lane as being the guy that he could count on.

"Cam has been on of my best friends on the team," Payne said. "If I needed anything, I would call him. He would pick me up and take me to practice everyday. He was someone that I looked up to coming in as a senior."

Payne's parents were also a big influence on his life.

"My parents [are a big influence] no doubt," Payne said. "Obviously, I'm going to be closer to my dad than my mom just because of the athletics aspect. He's coached me from the time I was five until I was fifteen, and he's still coaching me from the stands. He's been the biggest influence on me athletically and outside athletics."

Like a lot of his current and future teammates, Payne played summer ball for the East Cobb Yankees. So many players from the team come to Tech that Brad Rulon says they are nicknamed the Junior Jackets.

"I think they prepared me for the college game very well," Payne said. "We always played the best of the best. Half of the players on this team played for East Cobb. I was a lot more comfortable coming here than I would've been at another school where I didn't know so many players."

Athletes often have a childhood dream of seeing themselves on ESPN, and this came true for Payne during the NCAA postseason run.

"There is nothing I can compare it to," Payne said. "All of the exposure and playing on a stage like this is amazing. Growing up I watched the entire road to Omaha. Ever since I was little I thought that it would be cool to be on that and ESPN."