Will Lowery, a right-handed pitcher for the Wayne State Warriors Men’s Baseball team, threw a nine-inning no-hitter on March 20 against the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, leading his team to a 10-1 victory. The achievement, announced on April 14, marks only the second no-hitter by a Warrior in the past 22 years and earned Lowery both Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week and National Collegiate Baseball Writers of America National Pitcher of the Week honors.
Lowery’s performance is significant not just for its rarity but also as an example of successful transition from community college to university athletics. His journey began at Kalamazoo Valley Community College before he transferred to Wayne State University in Detroit. He credits his strong showing to both athletic preparation and academic support at Wayne State.
“It was kind of in my head a little bit,” Lowery said about realizing he was pitching a no-hitter early in the game. “My slider was really good that day and that was kind of the big thing.” Even as fatigue set in late during his career-high 119-pitch outing, he reminded himself: “Just keep throwing strikes.”
Wayne State has developed formal Transfer Pathways with eight Michigan community colleges to help students like Lowery move efficiently toward bachelor’s degrees. Michael Quattro, director of educational outreach and transfer initiatives at Wayne State, said these pathways are designed as student-centered roadmaps that help community college students transition smoothly toward completing their degree requirements. “The pathways guarantee transfer admission and credit applicability upon completion of an associate degree while also allowing broader acceptance of credits earned in applied, technical and vocational programs,” Quattro said.
The Warriors play their home games in Detroit and compete at the NCAA Division II level within the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC), according to their official website. The program previously captured the GLIAC Tournament title in 2010 according to its official website. The team’s nickname is “Warriors” with ‘W the Warrior’ serving as mascot according to its official website.
Lowery is now majoring in exercise and sport science while maintaining strong academic performance. He posted a fall semester GPA of 3.4 with support from advisors such as Kurt Troutman and Kim Clexton as well as faculty members Dr. Mario Vassallo and Dr. Katherine Sullivan.
Looking ahead, Lowery hopes his story encourages other student-athletes considering transferring: “If you have the opportunity, take it.”
