By Micah Partee, ’26 staff writer
When young athletes first begin their sports careers, the last thing on their minds is the long, winding journey ahead of them. Most grow through multiple positions, sports, and coaches. Over time, all those stops, starts, and systems blend into a unique story — a story that shapes not only who they are as competitors, but who they become as people.
This sentiment rings especially true for senior Dion Bryant, whose legacy will be cemented after the football team’s bowl game next weekend against Ursinus.
For Bryant, this game serves as his “last lap”, after a road that’s taken him to different teams, roles and successes. A win would simply add the cherry on top of a multi-sport résumé defined by consistency, toughness, and grit.
Bryant has been busy on the gridiron since he was six years old. While he played multiple sports in his early years, such as hockey and baseball, he ultimately decided on football taking the forefront. Bryant attributes this to the multiple teams and teammates he’s enjoyed playing with and conference championship visits as well in high school.
Many athletes tend to bounce from numerous positions regardless of sport when finding what really speaks to their skills and talents. For Bryant, running back was always his bread and butter, even after playing quarterback and a number of other positions on the field.
Running backs often play a more unsung role, typically labeled as “undersized” while lining up beside the quarterback in the backfield. But Bryant never let that size stereotype holds him back from playing both positions at a high-level. He treated it as an early challenge, not a limitation, on the road that now leads him into this weekend’s final trip to the end zone, as he will be lined up as both a quarterback or running back.
Coming from the nearby Milton Hershey High School, deciding to play in close proximity to his alma mater has made the experience even sweeter. Despite the size and speed of the next-level competition that college football has to offer, Bryant enjoyed early success as a freshman, and will finish as a key contributor to a squad that faced numerous obstacles in their way the last few years.
As the football team prepares to finish the series as bowl winners against Ursinus, one thing is for certain. This last-lap for Bryant serves as an example of the impact that sports has in a young student-athletes life. Leading them to different places to play, with many diverse individuals, which eventually makes up who you are as not only an athlete, but as a person.
“This last game is going to be weird, but I am just glad to get another chance to go out and play with the team,”