2012 at Defiance: Played in 23 games despite missing significant time due to injury … Cracked the starting lineup 20 times … Speedster led Defiance in steals and stolen base percentage with 11 swipes without being caught … Ranked third in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference with nine thefts against league competition … Closed the year by hitting .455 with 11 runs batted in, five runs scored and eight stolen bases in final six outings … Raised batting average 97 points during that flurry … Posted career-highs with .243 average, four doubles and 13 RBI … Hit .455 against left-handed pitching … Posted a .375 average with runners in scoring position … Turned in .385 on-base clip when leading off an inning … Named the HCAC Hitter of the Week after leading Jackets to season-ending road sweep of Mt. St. Joseph with six hits, seven RBI and four steals in three-game set … Ended sophomore campaign ranked ninth in Defiance history with 32 stolen bases.

2011 at Defiance: Started 32 games as DC’s primary center fielder and leadoff man during freshman campaign … Topped squad with 133 plate appearances … Also led all HCAC performers and posted the third-highest, single-season mark in DC history with 21 stolen bases in 24 attempts … Used team-leading 24 walks to tie DC’s eighth-best, single-season total … Ranked second on the roster with .375 on-base percentage … Opened impressive rookie campaign with .303 batting average and nine steals through first 11 collegiate contests … Posted a .282 batting average against HCAC pitching … Reached safely at a .444 clip when leading off an inning … Hit left-handed pitchers at a .375 rate … Swiped a bag in 16 games, with four multi-steal showings.

High School: Two-time letterman at Defiance High … Played for head coach Tom Held … Named Second-Team All-Ohio … Selected first-team all-district … Voted First-Team All-Western Buckeye League … Member of Academic Honor Roll.

Personal: Son of James Helland and Sarah Mekus … Relative of former DC cross country and track standout Kaitlin Switzer … Majoring in business administration.