Trending
NEW ULM -- Ethan Lieb said it was the opportunity to play two sports at the Division II level and a good physical therapy program that convinced him that the University of Jamestown was the college for him next year.
The senior at New Ulm High School, who will be participating in both football and track next year, felt that the transition from high school to college sports might not be much of an issue.
"Football will not be an issue, as I will just be kicking and punting," he said. "As far as track, I could probably lose a couple of pounds for track. It would make it easier to jump and run. My main event in track is the high jump, but tentatively I may be doing the decathlon."
Lieb is currently 6 feet tall and weighs around 200 pounds.
He had also looked at St. Olaf, Gustavus Adolphus, Dakota State and Minnesota State.
Lieb said that he will be the starting punter his freshman season for the Jimmies and possibly as well as for kickoffs.
He said that he has worked on his leg strength with New Ulm High School head football coach Derek Lieser.
"And in the summers, I do camps with [former Gopher kicker] Emmit Carpenter -- he kicked on the Gophers team [from 2015-18]," Lieb said. "He has been amazing in helping my development, strengthening my leg and getting my kicking form better."
Lieb said that playing two sports at the DII level and keeping up academically may be hard.
"In college you have a winter and spring season in track -- indoor and outdoor -- and for the players that do both football and track, they give you about a week or two for your body to recover from football and transition slowly into track," he said. "According to the, coaches it works smoothly. And it will be tough academically, but I have been able to keep it up in high school with three sports and whatever else I have going on, I kind of like it."