TOWSON, Md. - With the 2024-25 season officially behind us, the Landmark Conference proudly looks back on a year full of solid performances and meaningful achievements across all 10 member schools. Over the next two weeks, we'll be featuring a different institution each week with their top moments and stories. Check back often and click the link below to explore the full recap.

Landmark Conference Yearbook

Growing up in a family rich in sports and cultural heritage, Mike and Matt Show were instilled with values that shaped their approach to life and baseball. 

Their father, also named Mike, a former college basketball coach and director of athletics at Clarks Summit until it closed in 2024, was a powerful example of dedication and leadership. He encouraged both sons to see sports as a place to grow, support each other and reflect on what they represent — not just as athletes, but as part of a larger story that includes their Native American heritage.

Native roots
While they never had the opportunity to meet their Cherokee great-grandmother, tales about her from their paternal grandmother offered glimpses of a life defined by resilience and a relentless work ethic.

Mike and Matt specifically noted being inspired and influenced by their grandmother, who cleaned houses well into her 70s, scrubbing floors by hand and never backing down from hard work.

"Just how hard working she is and the perseverance she shows stand out to me," Matt said. "She goes in the morning and cleans houses. She's on her hands and knees scrubbing the floors because 'mops aren't good enough.' So she scrubs it all by hand." 

Representing their Cherokee background is more than just a personal point of pride; it's a responsibility they feel deeply. On social media and beyond, they proudly acknowledge their roots. It reflects their mission to embody the perseverance and pride that their great-grandmother and grandmother passed down to them.

"It's something that you represent," Mike said thoughtfully. "Not a lot of people get to say that they can represent a tribe, a Native American tribe. We think of it as an honor and a privilege and not a burden, and we just try to be the best people we can be."

This mindset is something they especially focus on when life throws adversity their way. 

Family impact
Sports always have been a family affair for the Shows. Their father's 20 years as a college basketball coach set a standard for them. It fostered their love for athletics and taught them the values of discipline, sacrifice and leadership. With parents and an older brother, J.C., who all played college basketball, it was only natural for Mike and Matt to pursue their athletic dreams at the collegiate level.

However, the family's journey in sports has been marked by setbacks. Injuries have impacted many members of the family. Matt has endured two ACL tears, while Mike has dealt with a severe concussion and a back injury — both leading to long recoveries. Their four siblings have navigated similar obstacles, from torn ligaments to chronic conditions. These challenges have instilled in them a shared resilience, a hallmark of the family.

Through it all, Mike and Matt have leaned on their family and faith to keep themselves grounded. 

"We were fortunate enough to have everyone in our family to lean on, and then also our faith, as well, just so that we knew what our identity was and that we always had that to lean back and fall on, because we weren't wrapped up in what we were able to do on a field or court or anything athletically," Mike said. "Leaning back on what our foundation is, our family and faith, was important."

Brothers and teammates
While their family and heritage have shaped them, so has the bond they share as brothers. Playing together on the Wilkes baseball team has been a dream come true, especially after their shared experience in high school. Mike, the older of the two who was a senior this past year, committed to Wilkes for its strong business program and the opportunity to continue playing baseball close to his home in the Scranton, Pennsylvania, area. He pitches and plays the outfield. Matt, an infielder, followed a couple of years later, eager for the chance to team up with his brother again.

"I ended up choosing Wilkes because he was here, and I wanted to play a couple more years with my brother," Matt said. "We got to experience that during my sophomore year of high school and his senior year of high school, which was a lot of fun to do. We were able to make a run into the state playoffs. Ever since then, I've just been itching to play with him again."

Wilkes' proximity to their hometown has allowed their family to be part of their journey, as well. Their parents rarely miss a game, and even former coaches and high school teammates have come out to support them. 

"It's fantastic," Mike shares. "Our parents are actually able to come down to most of the games because we're about 35 to 40 minutes away from our hometown. And it's been cool too that people from our hometown come to make trips down to watch us play." 
 
Looking ahead
Mike, nearing the end of his college journey, is considering a career in coaching as a way to pass on the lessons he and his brother have learned from coaches inside and outside their family. 

"Some of my biggest mentors and influences in my life are coaches," Mike reflected. "I just want to be able to be a mentor to them and a role model for them to follow and just try and help them attain their dreams." 

Matt has his eyes set on becoming a financial advisor after college. For now, however, he looks forward to experiencing the balance of opportunities that Division III sports offer. 

"You can do other things. You can join a club, you can work part time if you need to, different stuff like that," he said, also emphasizing how he benefits from the competitive environment of college sports broadly. "The fact that you're playing competitive baseball, like every weekend, every day you play a game, every day you go to practice, you're competing for either a spot or for a win." 

For both brothers, every opportunity connected to baseball traces back to where it all began: home.

"We were blessed to be born into a big family, so everything that we did was a game, and it was three boys, three girls, so it was always boys versus girls," Mike said. "To be able to continue that and to keep competing and get an education along the way is amazing."