Published: 8/29/2016 6:30:56 PM
Amherst native Michael Hixon had a homecoming to remember Sunday night.
The Olympic silver medalist joined fellow Olympians from around New England and threw out a ceremonial first pitch Sunday night at Fenway Park in Boston.
Hixon was introduced prior to the start of the game and was joined on the field by Abbey D’Agostino (track & field), Tessa Gobbo (rowing), Eleanor Logan (rowing), Gevvie Stone (rowing) and Kayla Harrison (judo).
Hixon won the silver medal in men’s 3-meter synchronize springboard diving with partner Sam Dorman.
Hixon was thrilled for the opportunity.
“It was such a great experience,” he texted the Gazette on Monday. “Every kid in Massachusetts grows up watching the Sox and to actually get on the field at Fenway was beyond my wildest dreams.”
In addition to synchro diving, Hixon competed in the 3-meter individual springboard at the Rio Olympics. Hixon reached the final round but did not medal.
The homecoming did not last long for Hixon. He was scheduled to return to Indiana University where he will be a redshirt junior for the Hoosiers. Hixon will look to recapture the NCAA championships in the 1- and 3-meter springboard. He won both titles as a freshman at Texas before transferring to IU.
Hixon said in Rio that he setting his sights on qualifying for the Tokyo 2020 Games.