Lemont’s Pat Driscoll, Connor Nagel sign football National Letters of Intent

2/3/2010

Connor Nagel (left) and Pat Driscoll were joined by head football coach Eric Michaelsen after signing their National Letters of Intent.

Lemont High School seniors Pat Driscoll and Connor Nagel, who helped the school’s football program to 34 victories over the past three seasons, have signed National Letters of Intent to continue their football careers next season at the collegiate level. Driscoll will attend Western Michigan University, while Nagel will compete for Truman State University.

A 6’4”, 270-pound defensive tackle, Driscoll was a three-year starter for head coach Eric Michaelsen’s Indians. Driscoll collected 50 tackles (32 solo) in 2009, including a team-leading eight tackles-for-loss. He added five sacks (third on the team), while forcing four fumbles and recovering two (including one return for a touchdown). Driscoll was also very active in pass defense, tying for the team lead with eight break-ups. His career totals include 145 tackles (85 solo), with 21 tackles-for-loss, as well as 12 sacks, 10 pass break-ups, six forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.

A high honor roll student and a Class 6A All-State honoree as a senior, Driscoll will play for head coach Dan Cubit at Western Michigan. The Broncos have posted a 34-27 record in Cubut’s five-year tenure, as well as two bowl appearances - the 2007 International Bowl (following the 2006 season), and the 2008 Texas Bowl. Western Michigan has posted three winning seasons under Cubit, including 2008, when the Broncos went 9-4 overall and 6-2 in the Mid-American Conference. Last fall, Western Michigan finished 5-7, and was third in the MAC’s West Division with a 4-4 league mark.

Driscoll becomes Lemont’s sixth NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision signee in the last four years, joining David Molk ‘07 (Michigan), Aaron Nagel ‘07 (Notre Dame), Brett Nagel ‘08 (Northwestern), Graham Pocic ‘08 (Illinois) and Trevor Rothstein ‘09 (Army).

Nagel is the third member of his family in four years to earn a college football scholarship. A 6’0”, 210-pound linebacker. Nagel led Lemont in both solo tackles and total tackles each of his last two years. In 2009, he collected 92 tackles (71 solo), including five for loss. He tied for the team lead with seven sacks and added three fumble recoveries. In 2008, he paced the squad with 122 tackles (78 solo), and also tied for the team lead with four fumble recoveries. Over his career, Nagel totaled 240 tackles (164 solo), 14 tackles-for-loss, eight sacks, seven fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles.

A high honor roll student and a state-qualifying wrestler, Nagel will play for first-year coach Gregg Nesbitt at Truman State, an NCAA Division II institution located in Kirksville, Mo. The Bulldogs have won a Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) record 26 conference titles. A former Truman State standout, Nesbitt was named as its head coach shortly after the conclusion of the 2009 season, in which it went 2-9 overall and 1-8 in the MIAA.

Lemont posted a 10-2 record, won the South Suburban Conference-Blue Division title, and reached the IHSA Class 6A Quarterfinals for the third straight season this fall. Over their three-year varsity careers, Driscoll and Nagel helped Lemont collect a record of 34-6, win two SSC Blue titles, and post consecutive IHSA Class 6A State Runner-Up finishes in 2007 and 2008. Lemont reached double-digits in victories three consecutive seasons for the first time in school history during their tenure.

For more information, contact Director of School and Community Relations Tony Hamilton at (630) 243-3280.