(By Maddy Gronback ’26, special contributor)
Everyone loves a comeback story.
But what if it isn’t really a comeback, but just a new mountain to climb on the roadmap of a career? Aonghas Evanick doesn’t believe in comebacks, but he doesn’t believe in setbacks, either. They are just new challenges waiting to be conquered.
Evanick started his college experience at Wilkes University, where he committed to play football. After the fall semester of his first year, he decided that his “values and personality didn’t align with the sports team,” and he entered the transfer portal. He decided to transfer to Lebanon Valley College, where he would play football and join the track team. Little did he know, he would find his home away from home, and new family.
His sophomore year, he was already close with the football team. They immediately clicked. However, he faced yet another challenge when he tore his ACL early in the football season. Injuries are hard at any time, but coming back to play at the collegiate level is one of the toughest things a student-athlete can go through, both physically and mentally.
“I was motivated by my love for fitness, the sports themselves and the challenge,” Evanick said. “There was never a doubt in my mind that I would be back.”
Though the journey was hard, the defensive lineman pushed himself every day to return to the field the following season.
“I didn’t want it to define me or my athletic career, and chose to put in the hard work,” he said.
He was finally able to play alongside the people he had considered his family, and they supported him every step of the way.
“I think the atmosphere of LVC sports is competitive, yet welcoming,” he said, describing both of his teams. “The team culture displayed throughout LVC athletics is a testament to the hardworking and academically-driven athletes on campus.”
Fighting an injury is hard enough on its own, but fighting to come back to two sports is even more taxing on the body. However, Evanick was more than thrilled to be returning to his busy, constant “in-season” style of life.
“Being on two teams offers me a great off-ramp to burning out in just one sport,” he said. “I enjoy never having an off season and switching back and forth from sport to sport. It always keeps the competition fresh.”
And though his two sports are almost nothing alike, going from defensive line to throwing has its pros. “They complement each other through varied means of team, individual, physical and mental aspects,” he explained. But his schedule comes with its challenges.
“After practice signifies the end of the day for me, my time to rest up,” said Evanick. “Which means all other times, especially the weekend, is go time.”
While most might find this to be stressful, it fuels his academic side of life. “I like being kept constantly busy and having such limited time. It makes it easier to hit deadlines,” he said.
Two true years on the field and track as a Dutchmen were not enough for Evanick, though, as he will utilize his red-shirt year next season for both of his sports.
“I will never get this opportunity again,” Evanick said. “I have the next forty years to work, but I will never be able to be surrounded by my team, my friends and my LVC family again.”
As he heads into his spring track season, he has also been nominated captain for next year’s football squad, a true testament to what he has brought to the program.
“These 4 years have been the most formative to my character and having the opportunity to take one more is a blessing,” he said.
Through all the roadblocks, obstacles, and curveballs, Evanick stayed positive through it all, looking at every day as a new challenge he was ready to face.
“I enjoy working towards things in life, and overcoming the ACL tear was the perfect opportunity to overcome a new challenge,” he said.
This challenge turned out to give him the greatest reward.