"We will go anywhere to recruit talented baseball players," says Utah Valley head baseball coach Eddie Smith.
"Anywhere" includes a Circle K gas station.

As a graduated senior, Daniel Dickinson was grabbing a post-game snack when Coach Smith discovered the budding star who would become the face of not just Utah Valley University baseball but also Wolverine Athletics.
It's a far cry from his freshman year of high school when he was a 5-foot-4, self-described "overweight kid trying to play baseball." Today, the Freshman All-American no longer runs an eight-plus-second sixty-yard dash as he did just a few short years ago.

"Coop," as he is known to his closest friends, reflects, "I was small, overlooked, and really didn't grow into my body or skill set until my junior year. In some ways, I was just flat-out written off."
The goal was always in sight for the son of Sharee Dickinson. After reminiscing about his younger years, Dickinson said, "Since kindergarten, I knew what I wanted to be, but the path was never easy. It wasn't an overnight thing but a slow and steady journey into who I am today."

Danny prepped at Kennewick High School, didn't play varsity until his junior year, and hit .529, earning the title of a two-time all-conference shortstop. Although the physical attributes weren't always there, he was still athletic enough to be a multi-year letter winner in basketball and football. It doesn't stop there. Dickinson picked up bowling and decided to enter a tournament his senior year—and he won. "I love competing, that's it," said Dickinson. "If there's a ball and a score, I am all-in."

Due to Major League Baseball rules, Division I baseball players are not eligible for the draft until after their third year. For Daniel Dickinson, who has already shattered multiple UVU records—from single-season stolen bases to four offensive categories as a freshman—his journey might not have played out the way it has, as the offers never came in even into his senior year. He was never given any major recruiting "stars" or looks.
Enter Ottawa University. The small NAIA program in Phoenix, Arizona, was where Dickinson had committed just a few months before he was supposed to start college.

When asked about the recruiting process of Dickinson, Coach Smith laughed and said, "I was wrapping up a junior college tournament and thought I'd pop over to the final four championships of the high school tournament."
Hitting leadoff was Danny Dickinson. "This kid ropes it for a double, ran well, and then gets his team fired up," said Smith. That kid? Danny Dickinson.
Coach Smith watched a little more but knew he had nothing to offer scholarship-wise. He reached out to Dickinson's coach and did some "light" homework on him, but he admitted, "I kept thinking there was something about this Danny kid."

A few weeks later, Coach Smith found himself back in Washington and drove several hours out of his way to see the smooth-hitting shortstop who had that "it factor." After the game, Coach Smith wanted to grab some snacks before driving back. He stopped by the Circle K near the fields, a popular spot among fans. That's where a Circle K became part of UVU Baseball lore. "I wanted to take a chance on myself," Dickinson said, speaking about the opportunity Coach Smith offered him to walk on. "Nothing has been given in my life. I've worked incredibly hard, from personal training sessions with Coach Whitehead to grinding out a starting spot my freshman year."
Dickinson was asked if he'd do it any other way. Without hesitation, he replied, "No." Quoting Proverbs 3:5-6, Dickinson added, "I don't know what would have happened, there's no way. Yet, I trust the bigger plan for me. I love the outdoors, and UVU is great."

Coach Smith added, "UVU is a place for ballplayers. We pride ourselves on developing talent, giving opportunities, and being player-centered. With our pro-level baseball facilities, when a player like Danny walks in, they will leave as a pro prospect."

Dickinson is expected to be taken in the first few rounds of the 2025 MLB Draft. "I am grateful to be where I am today; it wouldn't have been possible without my mom. She is my hero," said Dickinson. "She is my number one, and every time I look up in the stands and see her—it's go time."

Although the clock on his collegiate career is winding down and the prospects of donning an MLB jersey are growing, Dickinson remains laser-focused on the task at hand. "We still have work to do; the grind never ends."