K. Tucker Burton '17 Recruiting Profile

I started playing baseball at 4 years of age. My parents say I was imitating the swing of Jeff Bagwell and the slide of Craig Biggio in front of the TV when I was still in diapers. Both of my parents played sports in HS and college so sports were naturally a big part of my life as I grew up. At age 13, my club baseball team won the Texas Fall State Championship as the lowest ranked team to compete. It was then that I realized I wanted to play baseball in college and for as long as possible.

In the fall of 2014, at the age of 15, I suffered a ligament tear in my knee that resulted in a kneecap fracture and dislocation that required surgery to fix. I thought my chances of playing competitive sports ever again were over. It was a struggle, both physically and in the classroom to recover fully. After 5 months of intense physical therapy and a lot of school work, I not only returned to HS baseball in the middle of district play, but earned All-District IF honors in a half season of play. I subsequently went on to set the vertical leap record at my HS and earn All-State 3B and District MVP honors.

My academic goals in high school were to graduate in the top 10% of my class. I accomplished this by finishing with a rank of 5 out of 48. I was the only one in my class to earn a Distinguished Diploma. In college, I plan to major in Criminal Justice and keep my overall GPA over 3.0. I have learned through life and playing sports that I absolutely love to compete, and no matter what the circumstances are, I will persevere. Most importantly, I will conduct myself with honor and respect on and off the field, knowing that the way I carry myself reflects on my team, my coaches, and the school I attend.