It was the year 2022, during his senior year of high school, and senior business major Nico Hagadorn noticed that something didn’t feel quite right while throwing. He would later discover that this pain was from a torn labrum under his shoulder. It was then during his freshman year in college, while still trying to throw, that he would find out he needed surgery. Hagadorn was then presented with a decision that would ultimately determine the rest of his collegiate career. 

“Well I came to a crossroads, at a point where I could either just hang it up and walk away, or I could just kind of push through it,” Hagadorn said. “And we had two seniors at the time who also had surgery their freshman year, and watching them push through, and watching the work that they put in kind of inspired me to get the surgery and keep going.” 

START OF THE SEASON

Fast forward to the present, and Biola’s baseball team is more than excited to get into the swing of the 2025-26 season. Hagadorn, however, is just now getting back into the game- as a senior in college. His surgery had taken away his first three seasons as a college pitcher from him, but he’s still hoping to give it his all during his final season. 

Head baseball coach Jesse Rodgers noted how Hagadorn’s commitment and perseverance is rare among players who experience injuries with such longevity.

“Nico is unique, in that he just continued to work to get better,” Rodgers said. “A lot of time, if it takes more than a year guys will just decide not to play anymore, but Nico I think kept finding value in being out on the field and being part of the team.”

MORE THAN THE GAME

Despite not being on the field, what Hagadorn contributed during his baseball career is evident to his fellow teammates and coaches. His story is a clear example that being a part of a team doesn’t always require the skills that you show on the field. 

“He’s always asking what he can do to help, and he embodies something that I’m asking the guys, which is to look around and find something to do,” Rodgers said. “We asked him to hit a fungo, so ground balls and fly balls. We asked him to drag the field, he waters the field, so there’s a lot of different things that he does.” 

Presented with such a challenge and being able to overcome it, Hagadorn looks back at that time and appreciates what he was able to learn from it. 

“Now that I’m a senior, I’m able to look back and see how my freshman, sophomore year was,” Hagadorn said. “My freshman year, especially coming in injured and trying to throw through it, I was not at my best. I didn’t feel I put a good representation of myself. But my sophomore year, being injured and doing the recovery, I kind of felt like I was kind of working towards something, and my teammates recognized that, so it was easier to fit in.”

BACK IN THE SWING OF THINGS

Going into his senior season, Hagadorn also looks forward to being a leader for the underclassmen. Showing them the lessons he has learned during his time at Biola, both on and off the field.  

“We only have four seniors who have been here for all four years, and I’m one of them, and I have probably been more in touch with the non-playing side,” Hagadorn said. “And we have a good freshman class, but with the guys who aren’t going to get much time in their younger years, I can help them the best by showing them how I did it, and also kind of just my knowledge of the program.” 

This season we will find Hagadorn on the mound, grateful for the opportunity of being able to play again. With the delay of his injury, he notes that he’s slowly easing back into his abilities, but is excited just for the fun of the game. He also hopes the team will be able to make it to the playoffs, as they did last year where they finished in third in the PacWest Conference. 

“It’s definitely fun. I will say, I feel like I forgot what it’s like, it’s just been that long,” Hagadorn said. “But I mean getting back into so many things and riding up with the highs and lows, of doing good or doing bad, something I definitely haven’t done in a while.” 

HIS IMPACT

Hagadorn’s recovery shows how a team isn’t just made up of players with athletic abilities for the success of a game. But rather players who truly care about their team, their sport, and their school. 

“Nico, his impact on the team is way more than just the innings that he pitches. He brings so much and really just embodies what we’re all about, which is trying to work, [and] caring about the teammates,” Rodgers said. “And I hope that he gets some meaningful innings, he got an inning last week which is awesome, but more importantly his presence on the field and how his teammates feel about him, I think are the lasting impact that he’ll have.”