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Student Spotlight: Meet Bradley Eaton ’25

Posted

January 23, 2025

For senior Bradley Eaton, the road to success is both figurative and literal—he spends an incredible 2.5 hours in the car each day commuting to St. Edward from his hometown of Conneaut. A dedicated three-sport athlete, eight-time state champion, and exceptional student, Bradley proves that no distance is too great when passion fuels the journey. This fall, he will further his education at the prestigious Princeton University, a testament to his relentless work ethic.

“Iron sharpens iron,” Eaton said when asked about his decision to attend St. Edward. “I want to be the very best version of myself, and I knew at St. Ed’s, I’d be surrounded by classmates and teammates who felt that same calling.”

Eaton calls Conneaut in Ashtabula County home—a 75-minute drive to St. Edward each day. Despite the distance, he’s never doubted it was the right choice. “It was hard to leave my hometown school,” Eaton shared, “but I knew St. Ed’s would offer me opportunities I couldn’t find anywhere else.”

Next year, Eaton will head to Princeton on a football scholarship, but football wasn’t his focus when he first enrolled at St. Edward. As a freshman, he played varsity soccer in the fall, leading the team in goals, wrestled in the winter—finishing fifth in the state—and ran track in the spring, helping his relay team set a school record and place fourth in the state 4x800.

Eaton continued to excel in track and wrestling throughout high school, finishing second in the state in wrestling as a sophomore and sixth as a junior. However, he made a significant shift his sophomore year, trading soccer for football. “I missed playing football,” Eaton shared.

As a sophomore, Eaton played defense for varsity football, and his career took off, starting in 46 games over the course of three years—a school record shared by classmate and best friend Nate Gregory ’25. He was also a key contributor to the 2022 and 2023 state football championships. To date, Eaton has been a part of an amazing eight team championships at St. Edward—two in football and six in wrestling. 

“I always think of St. Ed’s as being a hard-working school,” Eaton said. “All the guys in the classroom or on the field are willing to roll up their sleeves and put in the effort.”

This past season, Eaton’s football skills qualified him for Second Team All-Ohio for Defense in Division I, but the 5’9” senior and team captain wasn’t limited to defense. When the team needed him to play offense as a running back, Eaton stepped up to the challenge. Although Eaton hadn’t played running back previously and hadn’t played offense since middle school, his efforts on both offense and defense helped the Eagles make it all the way to the state semifinals.

I told my teammates that I would not have wanted to spend the year with anyone else. This team was tough. We were never out of the fight. Other teams may have knocked out some of our best players, but we never gave up. We played hard right to the last game. This team was about being tough, not worrying, and doing what needed to be done.

Eaton recently made the exciting decision to continue his education and football career at Princeton University. “It’s an opportunity I couldn’t pass up,” Eaton said. “Princeton is one of the best universities in the world.” Set to play defense for the Tigers, Eaton plans to study business, with dreams of becoming his own boss one day. “That’s another reason I chose St. Ed’s,” Eaton shared. “The school provides the stepping stones to help you reach your full potential—the sky is the limit.”

Eaton credits his strong educational foundation and academic growth for paving the way to opportunities like Princeton. Though he didn’t take many honors courses as a freshman, he soon embraced the challenge of more rigorous classes, adding both IB and AP courses to his schedule—and thriving.

IB coursework, known for its depth and breadth, encourages students to think critically, connect disciplines, appreciate diverse perspectives, and develop a desire to better the world. It’s more than preparation for exams or college—it’s preparation for life, cultivating thoughtful, compassionate servant leaders who are ready to make a positive impact.

“What I like about IB is that some courses last two years, which allows you to dive deep into topics and really understand them,” Eaton explained. “My favorite class is IB History HL because it’s so broad—we’ve covered everything from court cases to revolutions.”

The IB program also aligns perfectly with St. Edward’s Holy Cross mission and its pillar of excellence. Recently, Eaton was invited to speak at the Class of 2029 Merit Scholarship Recognition Dinner, honoring eighth grade students who earned academic scholarships for high school. Reflecting on the pillar of excellence, Eaton shared, “Excellence is not found in just one aspect of the school. All of my classmates are excellent in their own ways, and it’s been amazing to see what everyone has brought to the table to achieve excellence.”

As for the remainder of his senior year, Eaton continues to excel academically, wrestle, and run track. On the mat, he’s aiming for his ninth and tenth team state championships and has high hopes for the individual wrestling state tournament after placing in the top six each of the past three years. Through it all, Eaton remains committed to making the long drive from Conneaut every day, because for him, every mile is worth it.

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