On Campus: Prairie Ridge alum Drew Nystrom serving as interim head coach at John Carroll

Every day since March 14, Drew Nystrom has had the opportunity to mold his future.

As the interim head football coach this season at NCAA Division III John Carroll University near Cleveland, Nystrom sees far more chances for growth than hurdles.

“The opportunities way outweigh the challenges,” said Nystrom, a Prairie Ridge graduate who played offensive line at Bowling Green State University. “It’s a blast to have this role. It means the world to me. To take over one of the best jobs in the country and have a nine-month interview for the full-time position is outstanding.”

The program’s history is a major highlight for Nystrom to share with recruits. Currently, 36 John Carroll graduates are playing, coaching or in front offices of NFL teams, including Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels and Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio.

In addition, Nystrom said dozens of graduates are in high school and collegiate coaching roles.

“It’s somewhat surreal,” he said of the program’s history. “It’s a joy for me to be in this position at a school where you truly believe in the mission and the outcomes that it provides.”

Nystrom arrived at John Carroll in 2019, when he served as offensive run game coordinator. For the past two seasons, he was the Blue Streaks’ offensive coordinator. Last season, the team was 7-3 and tied for second place in the rugged Ohio Athletic Conference, which features perennial national power Mount Union.

The offense averaged more than 400 yards a game, including nearly 150 on the ground.

“I don’t see the personality of our team changing,” Nystrom said. “We’re going to continue to be a really physically team. We’re going to try to outwork every opponent that we see.”

In March, Nystrom said the team had commitments from 35 recruits when former head coach Rick Finotti stepped down after five seasons. Thirty-three of those players maintained their commitment, and Nystrom said the coaching staff has added approximately 30 additional recruits.

“The beauty of it is that so many of our kids are choosing John Carroll for the right reasons – the foundational principles that have always existed here,” he said.

When he arrived in 2019, Nystrom said he had a chance to speak to the entire team. His message then is something that he is living each day now.

“Every day of your life is an interview, whether it’s for a position you are interviewing for now or something you’ll interview for 15 to 20 years from now,” he said.

Promotion at North Central: After two seasons as a part-time men’s soccer coach at D-III North Central College, Dimitri Tsoukalas (Huntley) was promoted to a full-time role, the school announced Tuesday.

North Central posted an 18-2-1 record last season and made the NCAA tournament, earning the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin tournament championship and the league’s automatic postseason berth.

Before joining the NCC staff, Tsoukalas served as an assistant coach at Trinity International University and Illinois Tech.

Garis is a star: Prairie Ridge grad Keegan Garis was one of only 12 outfielders chosen for the Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League All-Star Game, which took place Tuesday.

Garis, an outfielder who has committed to play next season at Indiana State, was a member of the South All-Star team, which beat the North, 5-1, in Bethesda, Md. He did not appear in the game, according to the league’s website.

A member of the Metropolitan South County Braves, based in Vienna, Va., Garis is second on the team this summer with a .320 batting average and 12 RBIs in 18 games.

The Braves are 9-13 this season and currently stand in fifth place in the seven-team Cal Ripken League. They sit only three games out of third place and 7.5 games back of the league-leading Bethesda Big Train.

Waukesha contributors: Richmond-Burton grad Griffin Taylor and Crystal Lake South’s Alejandro Mendez are both playing summer baseball for the Waukesha Foxes of the Dairyland Collegiate League.

Taylor, an outfielder, is batting .278 with 12 RBIs and two home runs in 16 games for the Foxes (6-11). Mendez, an infielder, who has played in eight games, is hitting .259 with four RBIs. Both athletes played last season at McHenry County College.

• Barry Bottino writes about local college athletes for the Northwest Herald. Write to him at barryoncampus@hotmail.com and follow @BarryOnCampus on Twitter.