ANNVILLE, Pa. (Conference News) – The Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) has announced Misericordia’s Tom Jacob as the 2021 recipient of the MAC Giant Steps Award.
The MAC Giant Steps Award is presented to individuals who have overcome adversity while still succeeding in life, who use sports as a vehicle for positive social change, who break down barriers to provide opportunities to those who follow behind them, and individuals who inspire us to do great things using the positive aspects of sport.
Jacob is in his third season as a starting pitcher at Misericordia. He was on track to etch his name into the program’s record books through his first two seasons. With a 14-6 record entering his junior season, he was on pace to crack the top-five in all-time victories in 2020.
Then, life threw him a curveball.
While the 2020 baseball season was cut short for everyone, Jacob never got started after being diagnosed with testicular cancer around Thanksgiving in 2019.
He underwent surgery a week later and began three months of aggressive chemotherapy at the end of December. While he wondered about survival, Jacob’s doctors were optimistic and provided encouragement throughout his treatment.
The intensive chemotherapy treatments led to a more rapid healing process, but also left Jacob feeling worn out. Combined with the hundreds of potential side effects, the 2020 baseball season was not an option for Jacob.
Jacob had immediate success in his first season as a member of the Misericordia pitching staff. He was 7-2 with a 3.40 ERA while holding opponents to a .223 batting average, the best mark of Misericordia’s rotation.
He pitched six shutout innings in a must-win game against DeSales in the MAC Freedom championships and went on to pick a win over Virginia Wesleyan in the NCAA Tournament.
Jacob was then 7-4 with a 3.73 ERA as a sophomore and ranked third in the MAC Freedom in wins and strikeouts (54). He was named All-MAC Freedom Honorable Mention.
Following a second surgery in March 2020, Jacob was able to start working out and return to a normal lifestyle.
Now, he’s back to throwing curveballs.
Jacob is back on the mound for the Cougars this season and picked up where he left off.
In his first game back, he struck out nine while scattering four hits over six innings to earn the win in the 2021 season opener versus DeSales.
Jacob is 7-1 and leads the team with 29 strikeouts heading into the MAC Freedom Championship series. He is currently second on Misericordia’s all-time wins list with a career record of 21-7.
A business administration major, Jacob is considering a career in marketing/sales or financial management.