Grant Urban’s Remarkable Journey: From Multi-Sport Athlete to Football Recruit

In seventh grade, Grant Urban participated in soccer, baseball, and basketball. By his senior year at Lincoln-Way East, Urban had become a key recruit for college football and a significant player in volleyball for the Griffins.

Urban, reflecting on his unexpected career path, stated, “I had no idea where my career would go. I actually thought I was going to be a professional soccer player, to be honest. I never thought that I would be doing this.” He now anticipates kicking for the Wisconsin-Whitewater football team after helping Lincoln-Way East pursue a deep postseason in volleyball.

Victory in the Kankakee Regional Championship

During a match on Thursday night, Urban, a senior outside hitter, led the Griffins to a 25-17, 25-21 victory over Lincoln-Way West in the Kankakee Regional championship. He tallied nine kills. Junior outside hitter Carter Geiger contributed six kills and nine digs for Lincoln-Way East, which has now secured its third consecutive regional title and 18th overall.

Teammates Henry Yacobozzi added five kills, Rylan Kim recorded 23 assists, and Marty Dwyer totaled 14 digs. On the opposing side, Lincoln-Way West’s Colin Baikie led with 10 kills. David Neylon added five kills, Aiden Kettelson made 18 assists, and Mason Thompson totaled 14 digs.

“It’s a lot easier to excel at any sport if you are as athletic as he is,” Lincoln-Way East coach Kris Fiore remarked about Urban. “He could be a great basketball player. He’s just an athletic kid.”

Urban’s Late Start in Volleyball

Spending three years on the varsity volleyball team, Urban had a late start in the sport. He didn’t play club volleyball in the offseason due to attending various kicking camps. Coach Fiore noted, “It took him a little while to get going because he didn’t play in the winter when a lot of the other kids were playing seven or eight months straight. But we knew it was just a matter of reps and getting him comfortable again.”

Geiger, a recruit for George Mason, discussed Urban’s motivation skills. “He gets all the guys going and everyone loves him. You can hear them cheer his name.”

Upcoming Sectional Semifinals

The cheers for Urban will continue as Lincoln-Way East faces Lincoln-Way Central in the O’Fallon Sectional semifinals. The Knights overcame Homewood-Flossmoor to win the Andrew Regional. Lincoln-Way Central and Lincoln-Way East split their two regular-season meetings.

This regional title was especially gratifying for the Griffins, who experienced challenges early in the season, including losing senior outside hitter Joey Abbeduto to shoulder surgery. They are currently on a 13-match winning streak. Geiger noted, “The season didn’t start out the best but we got back and had a big run. Everyone has a lot of energy, even the bench, and that’s a key part of our program.”

Urban’s Contribution Beyond Sports

In addition to his volleyball success, Urban made an impact in football by signing up with the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer. He collected pledges for every point scored through field goals and extra points, eventually donating about $1,000. Urban remarked, “I thought it would be a nice thing to do. I really wanted to make my season on the field help make an impact off the field.” His efforts received support from family and friends, spreading the word through social media.