EDWARDSVILLE - Cameron Kirkpatrick, an offensive and defensive lineman for Edwardsville High's football team, signed a letter-of-intent to attend McKendree University in Lebanon to play with the Bearcats after a successful career with the Tigers.
Kirkpatrick will join teammate Ethan Young in playing for McKendree next season, and felt the small-town atmosphere in Lebanon, with other factors, was the perfect fit for him.
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"I liked the small-town vibe I got from it," Kirkpatrick said in an interview that followed the ceremony, "the class sizes are really small, I liked the football coaches a lot, it really felt like family, and the players really seemed hungry."
The fact that the Bearcats also play in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, a premier NCAA Division-II league, was also a big factor in Kirkpatrick's decision.
"Absolutely," Kirkpatrick said. "From my experience at Edwardsville, I've already played against some of the best talent there is in the country, so I'm really excited."
Kirkpatrick also considered Central Missouri State, Missouri Western University and Marian University in Indianapolis before deciding on McKendree. He plans on majoring in business administration, with an eye possibly towards entrepreneurship. He'll bring plenty to the Bearcats program.
"He's a good athlete for an offensive lineman," said Edwardsville head coach Matt Martin, "and I think McKendree's a good choice. He's a big kid, he wants to continue to work hard in the weight room. He'll have a great career at McKendree."
Kirkpatrick has some simple, yet ambitious goals for his first year at McKendree.
"Obviously, I want to get bigger, faster, stronger," Kirkpatrick said, "and want to succeed in the classroom as well. I want to make some new friendships, and some connections in the business world, set me up for the future, too."
Kirkpatrick's favorite memory of Tiger football came in his sophomore year of 2017, when Edwardsville came from behind against Huntley to win their opening game on their way to the Class 8A semifinals, eventually losing to Wilmette Loyola Academy. It was an incredible run for the Tigers, and Kirkpatrick has another special memory of the program.
"I really admire all of the coaches," Kirkpatrick said. "A lot of them are similar to father figures to me, and they have all really made a big impact on me."
