Our second installment of the Flyers Alumni Spotlight Series takes us east of the river, to the campus of Concordia St. Paul University, where former Flyers great, Kyle Dalton, has been making waves in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC), and across the country, for going on four years now.  

Following a storied career with the Flyers, one in which saw him compete in more games than anyone in the history of the Program (from 2009-2012) as an unprecedented four-year starter, Dalton set off to accomplish even greater feats at CU.  

As a Freshman at CU,  Dalton’s impact was immediately felt, playing in and starting 44 games, finishing second on the team in both batting average (.369) and on-base percentage (.430), and third on the team in runs scored (31) and hits (55).  A standout athlete with tremendous speed and versatility, it was evident early on in Dalton’s collegiate career that he would be a difference-maker at the NCAA Division II level.  

Dalton’s success would carry over into his sophomore year, where he played in and started all 36 games for the Golden Bears.  He was named NCBWA Central Region Player of the Week and NSIC Player of the Week after torching competition in early March.  His sophomore campaign saw Dalton lead the team in hits, runs, and stolen bases, all while displaying his exceptional defensive skills at second base, fielding at a .992 clip (which was good for 11th best in the NSIC).  Following two highly successful seasons as an underclassman, it would soon become clear that Dalton was just getting started in making his mark as a Golden Bear.  

Dalton’s Junior season proved to be his best to date.  Before it was all said and done, he was a Daktronics First Team All-American selection and All-Central Region selection, an ABCA All-Central Region selection, an NCBWA All-Central Region selection, and an NSIC first team selection.  Needless to say, it was remarkable statistical season for Concordia St. Paul’s Kyle Dalton.  His athleticism shined in his Junior campaign, starting each and every game for the Golden Bears, at three different positions defensively.  He led the NSIC in hitting, going 71-133 (good for a .433 BA), and carried an on-base percentage of .478, placing him 5th in the conference.    

Headed into his Senior season, Dalton was named to both the NCBWA Preseason All-American First Team, as well as the All-Central Region First Team, and based on the progression and development of his game over the course of the last three years, these pre-season rankings certainly appear obtainable for the Golden Bear standout.   Twelve games into the 2015 season, Dalton currently leads CU in nearly every offensive category, including hitting (.460), hits (23), on-base percentage (.500) and stolen bases (5).

We recently caught up with Dalton, and asked him about his experience as a part of the Hopkins Flyers, and how it helped prepare him for competition at the collegiate level.  “Playing Legion Ball helped me in multiple ways.  Physically, it prepared me for the faster style of play, and allowed me to get a glimpse of what college players look like.  Mentally, it helped toughen me up and understand how to better deal with failure.  The experience of the 40-some odd game schedule, the bus trips, tournaments and itineraries, are all aspects that helped to prepare me for the grind of college baseball.”  

We wish Kyle and the Concordia St. Paul University Golden Bear Baseball Program continued success as they continue NSIC-conference play.