PRESQUE ISLE — Earlier this month, the University of Maine at Presque Isle welcomed Tanner Veilleux to its baseball program after he pledged his verbal commitment to play collegiate baseball for the Owls program.

The Searsmont native spent his high school athletic career as a catcher for Belfast Area High School, tallying a .336 batting average with 10 stolen bases.

“He is an extremely hard-working kid with a tremendous work ethic and an unsurpassed desire to get better,” said Belfast head baseball coach Chris LaValle, in a UMPI news release. “He is a coach's dream in that he is always team-first and willing to do whatever is asked of him. He is an excellent leader, both on and off the field and he leads through example.”

Veilleux plans to major in physical therapist assistant while attending UMPI.

“I look forward to furthering my education in the PTA Program while playing baseball,” Veilleux said, in the release. “Playing college baseball has always been a dream of mine, I am excited to learn and grow as a student athlete.”