HARRISONBURG, Va. – There is an old adage that says, “Good things come to those who wait”. Lenior native Blake McElyea is hoping to prove the accuracy of that saying when he toes the rubber for the James Madison Dukes’ baseball team in 2026.
In two weeks, the 6’7 pitcher and and former West Caldwell player, will begin his career at James Madison University when the Dukes visit No. 16 Florida State for a three-game series starting Feb. 12.
McElyea has yet to throw a pitch in a competitive college game despite being listed on three different college baseball rosters (Longwood, Queens and currently James Madison). But after recovering from elbow surgery, McElyea says those setbacks and delays have prepared him for the rigors of Division I baseball.
“I think I’ve always been mentally strong,” McElyea said in December. “I’ve always had a bulldog mentality as some would say, and got even stronger as I rehabbed from my elbow surgery last February. Apart from that, I have lived in the weight room since arriving at JMU. I put on some much-needed weight and ultimately got much stronger and athletic in order to prepare and put myself in the best position to succeed this season.”
McElyea certainly has potential, which he demonstrated during his prep career, first at West Caldwell and then Draughn. During his final two seasons with the Wildcats, he posted a combined 17-5 record with a 1.36 ERA to go with 199 strikeouts. McElyea earned consecutive All-State honors as a result, while also finding success on the basketball court during his high school career. McElyea says that he has fond memories of playing at both schools.
“Being a multiple sport athlete growing up helped me in so many ways,” McElyea said. “My favorite memories at West Caldwell were on the hardwood. We played deep in the playoffs for two consecutive years. At Draughn, I was a big part of the basketball team after learning how to lead and be a good player in a program where I wasn’t one of the best players. Losing in the fourth round my junior year of baseball was the most fun game I ever pitched. It was at Uwharrie Charter in a game we lost in extra innings. I pitched the first seven innings but ultimately came up short.”
Even with all of his success in high school, playing on the D-I level has been an adjustment for McElyea.
“The biggest adjustment is learning how to compete even when not in the game,” he said. “In college athletics, you are constantly competing to either move up the depth chart or keep your spot at the top. Another huge adjustment is learning how to play without your best friends, as you are always competing for a spot and you don’t always get the chance to stop and just have fun. That’s the thing I miss the most about high school athletics.”
Even so, McElyea is grateful to be playing college baseball and offers some advice for younger players wanting to follow in his footsteps.
“Be patient and be persistent in your work,” he said. “Don’t settle on one sport. When it’s your time to begin recruitment, really evaluate yourself and don’t be oblivious as to where you can play. Be extremely persistent in reaching out to coaches. College coaches won’t reach out to you because they want guys who really want to be a part of their program.”