USD MAGAZINE
TORERO ATHLETICS
[driven]
PLAYING WITH PURPOSE
Ross Dwelley continues his upward trajectory
T
by Mike Sauer he heat comes early this time of year in Reno. Fleeting morning cool is quickly overwhelmed by simmering waves of Northern Nevada sun rising over the foothills to the east, causing early risers and all-nighters alike to beat a hasty retreat to the air-conditioned in-
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U S D M A GAZ I N E
door comforts the Biggest Little City in the World has on offer. “It got over a 100 [degrees] a couple of times last week,” Ross Dwelley ’18 (BS/BA) notes. “You’ve got to get out early to get a run in, but honestly, I don’t mind the heat. It makes you focus more on the task at hand.”
For Dwelley, that task is braving the baking elements in order to get in the best physical shape possible in advance of his third season as a tight end with the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers. The 16-game schedule can be a grind to even the hardiest of competitors, and Dwelley has learned the give-and-
take between pushing himself and completely stretching his limits during the offseason. Dwelley can’t wait to get started this fall. “It’s such a dream to be able to do something you’re passionate about for a living,” he says. “Football means so much to me, and I know that I’m capable of getting better. That’s why I don’t take this opportunity for granted. I know I haven’t hit my ceiling.” To better understand how far Dwelley has come to achieve his dream of playing in the NFL — and subsequently becoming the first Torero to appear in a Super
