SPORTS
THE NEXT LEVEL: LHS ATHLETES PLAYING SPORTS IN COLLEGE Andrew Brooks
Eva Fahrenkrog
Many athletes have achieved incredible success at LHS. However, a select few have taken their talents to the highest levels of college athletics, the Division I Power 5 conferences. Former Wildcat athletes who are currently playing sports at a university in one of these conferences discussed their experiences in college athletics and how LHS prepared them for the next level.
Drew Peterson, Basketball, University of Southern California Drew Peterson graduated from LHS in 2018. Three years later in 2021, he played in March Madness.
Liam Foo
terson calls this, “the best decision I’ve made. Being in LA and playing basketball is one of the best things I can imagine.” Peterson started 30 out of 33 games last year, averaging 10 points and 5 rebounds per game. “It’s awesome to have a big impact on the team and be in a spot where my coaches and my teammates trust me to play well,” he said. His favorite aspect of playing basketball in college has been “having a team that you can bond with and hang out with on a regular basis. It’s almost like another family away from home.” USC made it to the NCAA March Madness Tournament in his first year on the team. Peterson and the Trojans won three games in the tournament to make it all the way to the Elite Eight. “As I was getting ready to leave my room before the first game [of March Madness]. I think that’s when it kind of really hit me. It’s definitely something you dream of as a kid, a once in a lifetime type of opportunity. And we went on to make a deep run. So I got to play in a few different games. It was really cool. It was an experience I’ll never forget.”
Evan Rasmussen, Soccer, Michigan
Drew Peterson, basketball star, who graduated from LHS in 2018, now plays for University of Southern California. He competed in March Madness just three years after graduating. Photo courtesy of Drew Peterson
Peterson played basketball throughout his youth, but once his freshman year of high school rolled around, he developed a “realistic goal” of playing in college. “I kind of saw that if I work hard, I can see myself playing this to the next level,” he said. “I’ve just got to stay the course.” After a successful Libertyville career, which included scoring 26 points per game and making a buzzer-beating game winner in the regional final of his senior season, Peterson committed to Rice University to play basketball. “I ended up committing to Rice because I really focused on academics and athletics as a combination,” he said. “I really wanted to make sure I got a good degree.” In his two years at Rice, Peterson appeared in all 64 of Rice’s games, starting 55 of them. In his sophomore year, he led the team in rebounds and assists. However, before his junior year he decided to enter the transfer portal. “There were a few moving pieces and I thought it’d be best for me, after having a pretty good year, to kind of weigh my options and take the next step,” Peterson explained. “I knew I wanted to transfer to a bigger school.” After many coaches reached out to him, he decided to commit to the University of Southern California (USC). Pe-
Evan Rasmussen graduated from LHS in 2019. While he attended, he helped lead the boys soccer team to incredible success. During Rasmussen’s junior and senior seasons, the Wildcats made it all the way to the state championship. “That’s something I’ll never forget,” he said. “ It was such a fun experience to do that with some of my best friends and my brother.”
Evan Rasmussen, soccer player, who graduated from LHS in 2019, now plays for University of Michigan. During Rasmussen’s junior season, he started 13 games and scored his first career goal against Notre Dame. Photo courtesy of Evan Rasmussen
After high school, he set his sights on playing soccer in college, which had been a dream of his for “as long as I can remember.” He also grew up a fan of the University of Michigan and called it a “dream come true” when they offered him a MARCH 2022 25
25-27.indd 1
2/15/2022 5:42:15 PM
