NORTH ANDOVER, Ma. - A “different” recruiting process had Brendan Holland looking in another direction.

“Even though my parents said it would be fine, I was definitely very nervous,” the North Andover 17-year-old said about being uncommitted the summer before senior year of high school. “For the most part it was quiet in the spring and that was difficult. D-3 coaches were talking to me but nothing with D-2 or D-1. At the time I started looking at high academic schools. If I couldn’t go D-I, I was going to look into academic colleges.”

But when summer arrived, it all changed for the 13th-rated 2021 left-handed pitcher in New England.

“When things started opening up I started talking with D-I schools,” Holland related. 

UMass-Lowell andUMass-Amherst headlined those interested in Holland along with Richmond and Bryant.

“A few of my coaches were also talking to Pitt,” Holland noted.

But it was the University of Massachusetts Lowell that moved to the front for the 120th-ranked New England senior.

“The first time I remember talking to them was at a UMass Lowell camp the summer going into my junior year,” Holland reflected. “Then they didn’t talk to me until this summer, a few days after a tournament in New Jersey.

“They liked my overall demeanor on the mound,” the 6-5 165-pounder continued. “They liked my efficiency pitching to contact. I keep my pitch count low. They also liked my frame and that I can fill out in the future.”

An offer came quickly.

“It felt like it was out of nowhere,” Holland said

That was late August. A week later came a commitment from Holland, who had an appreciation for what he saw at the American East Conference school in Lowell, located 30 miles north of Boston.

“I liked the campus when I went to the camp their last summer,” Holland pointed out. “Baseball wise, I like that the team plays a lot of good D-I schools. They play a lot of Power 5 conferences and I like that. It’s a perfect fit for me.”

Staying near home was not in the original plans, however.

“From the beginning I never wanted to go to a close school, but I’m fine with it,” noted Holland, who lives less than 30 minutes away from the UMass Lowell campus. “They do a lot of travel so that’s good.”

An improved game helped pave the way for Holland fulfilling his Division I dream.

“Over the winter and spring I went to a pitcher’s academy to try and perfect my form,” Holland related. “I was working on my mechanics and doing strength training to try and get my fastball velocity up.”

That is an area of pitching Holland continues to work at improving.

“My fastball is kind of average,” admitted Holland, a southpaw who has topped out in the low-80s. “I’d like to get higher velocity so I get more swings and misses. My mechanics are not perfect yet.”

What is perfect is reaching a long-time goal.

“I’ve always wanted to play at the highest level I could,” Holland said. “I’ve wanted that since a young age, whether it was high school, D-3 or D-I. I had a really good sophomore year and it was the summer going into my junior year that it started to look good.”

But then came COVID-19.

“It was definitely different,” Holland said of his expectations with recruitment. “The whole covid thing changed it. The recruiting process was really choppy. I’d get different phone calls and then it would be weeks without talking to them and then they’d finally call. It was all kind of weird.”

Fortunately, there was a happy ending for Holland, a 3.5 student now thinking about a major in some field of business.

“It was the most difficult decision of my life,” Holland said. “Now that I’m done with that process it’s definitely a relief.”

Coaches along with teammates have been a big part of helping Holland reach his quest to play Division I college baseball.

“My coaches have always pushed me on how to get out of tough situations and strive to make myself better,” Holland noted. “Past and present teammates have also helped me learn how to make myself better.”

Holland looks forward to taking his game to the next level.

“My coaches know the UMass Lowell coach well and say he’s tough on guys,” Holland explained. “My coaches think I’ll fit right in with him personality wise. I don’t give in to things that are mentally tough on you.” 

Making it through a “different” recruiting process is proof.