Air Force Academy

Ryan Fitzgerald

19

Class: Senior Hometown: Ft. Worth, Texas High School: Arlington Heights

Height / Weight: 5-11 / 185 Position: IF Birthdate: 03/22/1982 Experience: 3V Bats/Throws: R/R

Notable: Team co-captain... One of four Falcon seniors.

Junior Season (2003): Appeared in 23 games, starting 11... Batted .294 with three doubles and a home run... Had three hits, scoring two runs while driving in two against UNLV on April 20... Had four multi-hit games... Went 2-for-3 with a home run, two runs and two RBI against Utah on May 11.

Sophomore Season (2002): Played in 14 games in the infield… Hit .188 with two runs scored, one double, three RBI and made two assists in the field… Two RBI and a double against San Diego State, March 17. Freshman Season (2001): Played in 22 games, starting four at second base and one at third base... Hit .233 in 30 at-bats with one home run and six RBI... Homered in his first collegiate at-bat against Hastings College... Fielding percentage of .972 tied as the best among the infielders... Just one error in 36 chances.

Arlington Heights HS: Lettered two years in baseball and one in football... First-team all-state and all-district in baseball as a senior... Named to the state all-tournament team at second base... Team won the area and regional championship and advanced to the state final four.

Personal: Member of Cadet Squadron 18, the Knightriders… Major is management… Birthdate is March 23, 1982… Hopes to go to pilot training and fly fighters in the Air Force… Has been on the commandant's list for military excellence and the athletics list … Was the cadet-in-charge of the Leadership Reaction Course this past summer… Enjoys reading Harry Potter books... Also completed the Soaring and Jump programs... Son of William and Nancy Fitzgerald.

Why I came to the Academy: “I knew I wanted to come to the academy ever since I was in middle school. As a kid it seemed like I was always surrounded by aviators but none of them had been military pilots, and when I saw my first F-16 I knew that is what I wanted to fly. That feeling goes back as far as I can remember and has really affected my life because I was and still am trying to do everything I can to make that dream come true. It was when I realized that the Academy would give me the best opportunity of achieving that goal it was then that I decided I was going to the US Air Force Academy and I think that was in sixth grade.”

My plans for the future: “I plan on attending pilot training after school at Laughlin Air Force Base in Del Rio, Texas and doing my best in an attempt to get placed on a fighter track. I have not decided upon being a career officer yet, but thought it is only fair to wait and feel it out with my future family. But I am looking forward to graduating from the Academy and having some good times out in the real Air Force.”

Fitzgerald’s Career Batting Stats

YEAR	         G/S 	AB 	R 	H 	2B 	3B 	HR 	RBI 	SB 	BB 	K	AVG
2001 (Fr.)	22/5	30	5	7	0	0	1	6	0	2	9	.233	
2002 (So.)	14/0	16	2	3	1	0	0	3	0	0	3	.188
2003 (Jr.)	23/11	51	9	15	3	0	1	7	1	1	18	.294
Career	         59/16	97	16	25	4	0	2	16	1	3	30	.258