Hicks improved his ERA by more than a run between his junior and senior season. He was a starter for two years at Quincy University of the NCAA Div. II’s Great Lakes Valley Conference. During his senior season he posted a 2.42 ERA and a 4-4 record in 10 appearances.

He pitched at Danville Area Community College during his first two years of college, and then transferred to Indianapolis. His junior season he had a 4-4 record, but finished with a 3.92 ERA in 11 starts.

When Hicks is not playing baseball he enjoys spending time outdoors. Specifically, he likes to hunt and fish near his home in Whiteland, Indiana.