Henry Ford College Alumnus to Play Professional Baseball in Australia

Daniel Cameron, a 2015 Henry Ford College (HFC) alumnus who played catcher for the College’s baseball team for two years, will continue his baseball career Down Under.

Cameron, of Livonia, will play for the Carine Cats, a minor league team for the Perth Heat of the Australia Baseball League (ABL), which is affiliated with Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States (U.S.). Cameron signed a 1-year contract with the Cats for the upcoming baseball season, which begins Oct. 1 and runs through early April of 2018.

“I can’t wait to head over to Australia. It’s really a dream come true,” said Cameron.

Cameron played varsity baseball at Churchill High School in Livonia, earning four varsity letters. Upon graduating in 2013, he played two seasons at HFC on an athletic scholarship under Coach Steve Brown.

“HFC was some of the best years of my life. The College introduced me to my best friends, my roommate, and allowed me to continue to work on my game and get better,” said Cameron.

After graduating from HFC with an associate degree in Criminal Justice (CJ), Cameron transferred to Shenandoah University (SU) in Winchester, VA, where he played baseball during his final two years of eligibility. He credits HFC for allowing him to up his game, which then allowed him to play well as well as he did at SU.

At SU, Cameron’s batting average was .347 with 37 RBIs when the team set a school record for 41 wins and was ranked No. 1 in the National College Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III for six weeks. He earned second team American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/Rawlings All-South honors, as well as D1 baseball.com NCAA All South Region honors. He graduated earlier this year from SU with his undergraduate degree in finance/economics.

Fellow SU baseball player Greg Van Sickler, who’s played for the Cats and the Heat, helped Cameron connect with the Cats. Cameron spoke to the coaches and a baseball scout in Australia. After a month of talks, they offered him place with the Cats.

“I’m very excited about this. I can’t wait to get started. I’m looking forward to living in Australia. The beaches there are gorgeous. I’ll be living right on the beach. It’s pretty cool,” said Cameron.

Brown has high praise for Cameron.

“I’m very proud of Dan,” said Brown. “He was a great student, a great baseball player, and – most of all – a great person! I was very happy to have coached him for two years at HFC. He did everything I asked him to do, on and off the field.”