Ethan Lizama might never have suited up for Western Kentucky’s baseball had he been a little less persistent.

The senior outfielder was born and raised on the United States Territory of Guam, a distance of well more than 7,000 miles from Bowling Green. Getting to the U.S. mainland, let alone southcentral Kentucky, took quite a bit of convincing on Lizama’s part.

“I always felt like I was good enough to come play in the states,” Lizama said. “I always wanted to do it. I didn’t move with my family. I moved to the states by myself. It was hard for my parents to just let me leave, especially for like my freshman year. It took a lot of convincing, but I finally convinced my mom when I was just about to turn 17.”

Lizama had accomplished about as much as he could at home, coming up playing baseball through the traditional avenues of Little League and Cal Ripken Baseball – sometimes playing both at the same time for a few extra games – and represented Guam in international events on all-star teams in China and the Philippines.

That recognition and success was good, but Lizama was determined to find out if he could succeed on a much bigger stage. That’s when negotiations began with his parents, a back-and-forth that took a couple years.

“Growing up, I lived on a small island – I played with the same people my whole life,” Lizama said. “As I got older, it was like there’s not much more for me to do on the island – especially getting seen. So I had to move to the states to gain that exposure so that I could keep moving forward and do what I love.

“I moved away from Guam when I was 16 years old to finish my high school years in the states, so it would give me a better shot of fulfilling my dreams of becoming a professional baseball player.”

Lizama’s next stop was Eastlake High School in Chula Vista, California, where he impressed enough as a senior to earn a shot at playing college baseball at Gulf Coast State College in Panama City, Florida, where he totaled 17 home runs, 96 RBIs, 71 runs scored and a .300 batting average in 92 games over two seasons at the junior-college program.

“Going juco was honestly the best decision I could have made to allow me to continue going and eventually go D1,” Lizama said. “I went to Gulf Coast State College in Panama City, Florida, and I had the time of my life over there. I developed as a baseball player and as a person, I grew up and matured there. Everything about that place has helped me and made me who I am today. It allowed me to come here and play for these coaches and just continue to get better every day.”

Lizama arrived at WKU as part of a huge group of newcomers brought in by head coach Marc Rardin and his staff for their second season leading the program. Lizama admits he knew little about the program before the recruiting process with the WKU staff, led by assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Rob Fournier.

“Coach Fournier showed me a lot of love, he kept in contact with me throughout my season,” Lizama said. “It just showed me that the staff actually cared about me. I talked to other schools, but it just felt like a fit here. That’s why I’m here.”

In the 6-foot-2, 207-pound Lizama, the Hilltoppers found an instant impact bat for the lineup. He played in all 56 games last season, starting 54 in the outfield, and led the Tops with nine home runs while adding 16 doubles, two triples and 42 RBIs while batting .309. Lizama twice had multi-homer games, first against Liberty and then against nationally-ranked Dallas Baptist in the Conference USA Championships in May.

Lizama also had WKU’s first five-hit game since 2018 when he accomplished the feat against Austin Peay last season.

“I just try to get my barrel to the ball,” Lizama said. “Being labeled a power hitter would be nice, but I think sometimes I hit for power, sometimes I could hit for average. So I’m right there in the middle, I feel like.”

Lizama is one of two Hilltoppers who garnered preseason All-CUSA honors along with WKU pitcher Dawson Hall. Lizama appreciated the recognition, but his focus is on earning his spot on the field every day.

“This season, we’re starting off from scratch,” Lizama said. “We have a lot of good guys, so it allows us to have some depth and it allows all our position players and pitchers to not get complacent all year. Coach (Rardin) likes to talk about competing for a job every single day. That’s what I hope to do all year, along with my teammates.”

After his success at WKU last season, Lizama could have checked out his options elsewhere in the NCAA transfer portal. But after helping WKU to a 36-22 overall record and a 15-9 mark in CUSA play, Lizama opted to stick around and help the Hilltoppers keep rising. WKU opens its season Friday against nonconference opponent Illinois State at Nick Denes Field. The first of two nine-inning games Friday is scheduled for a noon start.

“I’ve definitely gotten better since I’ve been here, so that’s definitely something I’m grateful for,” Lizama said. “Moving to another place, you honestly don’t really know what happens. I know what WKU is about and I know where we’re going. We’re moving in an upward trajectory.”