Rusk senior Mason Cirkel smile for a photo with baseball coaches Ross Mcmurry and Trent Montgomery after signing his letter of intent to play baseball on Wednesday at Kansas Wesleyan University.

RUSK — Rusk made its first state baseball tournament in program history last season.

Three players from that team — pitchers JD Thompson and Mason Cirkel and outfielder Will Dixon — were celebrated for signing to compete at the collegiate level during a ceremony Wednesday inside Eagle Coliseum on the Rusk High School campus.

“One of the biggest things I try to talk to them about and tell them is that this is something that’s never happened in Rusk school history, nonetheless baseball,” Rusk baseball coach Ross McMurry said. “They’re legends. They’re legendary forever. They’ll always talk about JD, Mason, Will and the entire team.”

Thompson will play for Vanderbilt University, Dixon for Stephen F. Austin State University and Cirkel to Kansas Wesleyan University.

Thompson has established himself as one of the top left-handed pitchers not only in Texas but in the entire country. Now, Thompson will play for a Vanderbilt program that is used to winning big and sending players to the professional level. The Commodores have been to the College World Series five times and won national titles in 2014 and 2019.

“They’re one of the first schools I actually got to play at and see the school,” Thompson said. “It was early. I didn’t know where I wanted to go. I was young, and I didn’t think college was a possibility. But over the years, I’ve found a love and built a great relationship with all of the coaches. I’m getting to play SEC baseball, the highest level I can play, while also getting that Ivy League level degree. I’m always going to have that Plan B to fall back on whenever my baseball career ends.

“Vanderbilt is always going to the College World Series, they’re consistent in everything they do and getting players to the MLB, I feel like I’m ready and I can step up early and progress and develop into a Major League player there.”

As a junior, Thompson went 13-1 with one save, a 0.35 ERA and 19 walks. He also struck out a nation-leading 194 batters.

“He’s a complete athlete, a complete player,” McMurry said. “I don’t want to compare him to others, but I will probably never coach another guy like him. I’m extremely fortunate to be able to coach him once. He’s everything you want in an athlete. He is the guy that shows up, he works and he dives. When the moment is big, he is calm and reserved and confident. He loves that moment. He’s got everything.”

“I have a calm-minded, level-headed nature, and I don’t feel pressure,” Thompson said. “I love the high-intensity games. Those are the games I want every single day. I hope to eventually become a Friday night starters and pitching against SEC teams and playing in the SEC Tournament and eventually in the College World Series. I feel like I’m prepared for it.”

Thompson said he plans to major in business finance to become a financial advisor.

Dixon, who came to Rusk as a junior after previously going to Alto, will head to Nacogdoches to play for SFA.

“It’s an awesome program over there,” Dixon said. “They have good people and good coaches. I’m just blessed to be over there with them and call them family.”

Dixon hit .355 with 16 stolen bases last season.

“They’re getting one of the hardest-working guys,” McMurry said. “He’s always looking to get an edge. He’s the guy that’s going to go there and put the extra work in. He’s going to do whatever it takes to win a ball game.

Dixon said he plans to major in business.

Cirkel will go to Kansas Wesleyan in Salina, Kansas.

“Their facilities are just amazing, and their town is just a special place,” Cirkel said. “It feels like home there, a home away from home.

Cirkel is also a left-handed pitcher and was 10-3 as a junior with a 0.86 ERA and 72 strikeouts.

“My movement is a big thing, how I can spin the ball.” Cirkel said. “”My velocity is not up there yet, but I will get there soon.”

“He’s very similar to JD when it comes to mindset,” McMurry said. “A lot of people overlook him because he doesn’t throw 88. He’s a guy that’s going to carve you up like Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine and those guys. He’s going to come in there in the low 80s. And when the moment is big, he’s calm, cool and collected.”

Cirkel said he plans to major in kinesiology.

Now, that the college decisions are behind them, the Eagles are looking to get back to the state tournament and hope to finish with a title this time around.

“Going to the state tournament was a huge thing for us,” Cirkel said. “Teamwork helped us get there. Hopefully we can get back there and maybe win it this time.”

“We’re going to run it back and go to the top,” Dixon said.

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