Posted
March 05, 2026
The gym is loud, the student section is on its feet, and the game is hanging in the balance.
“Three seconds left… Eagles with the ball…”
Above the noise, Harper Lucas ’26 leans toward the microphone, eyes fixed on the court as he calls the final play.
For Lucas, moments like this—capturing the rhythm and emotion of a game as it unfolds—have become second nature. Whether courtside at basketball games or in the booth calling volleyball, Lucas has become a familiar voice around Eagle athletics. The senior has steadily built a reputation as a student broadcaster, gaining the kind of hands-on experience many aspiring sportscasters do not encounter until college.
Broadcasting has been his dream since he was nine years old, and as graduation approaches, Lucas is preparing to take the next step toward that future. “We are so proud of our son Harper—and so thankful for St. Ed’s and the opportunities the school has given him to discover what he’s capable of,” says his mother, Yolanda Hilliard Lucas. Yet the path that led Lucas to the microphone began with challenges far removed from the broadcast booth.
Early Challenges, Lasting Resolve
Today, Lucas consistently appears on the High Honor Roll, but his earliest school experiences were filled with frustration. At just five years old, he sensed something was different. “Other kids were learning to read and write, and I just couldn’t,” he recalls. “I remember feeling like I was falling behind even though I was trying as hard as I could.”
His mother recalls those early years vividly. “There were many evenings of crying together at the kitchen table as he tried to do homework,” she says. Lucas was diagnosed with dyslexia and dysgraphia—learning differences that make reading and writing especially difficult. While the diagnosis was difficult to hear, it also provided clarity and direction, allowing his family to seek the support and strategies he needed to succeed. With the right interventions, Lucas began to make steady progress in the classroom.
When the time came to choose a high school, he explored several options before spending a day shadowing at St. Edward. The experience made an immediate impression. “Once I shadowed St. Ed’s, I just knew,” Lucas says. “There was something about the environment—the teachers, the students, the sense of brotherhood—that made me feel like I belonged here. A friend’s mom kept telling us it would change my life, and honestly, she was right.”
A Community of Support
At St. Edward, Lucas found the encouragement and guidance that allowed him to grow both academically and personally. He worked closely with intervention specialist Emily Reising in the Michael T. George '21 Student Success Center, which supports students with learning differences through help with executive functioning, assignment planning, and academic strategies. The center also offers tutoring to any student seeking extra support. For Lucas, that structure helped transform the way he approached school.
Harper is hands down one of the hardest-working students in the building. I’ve personally watched him working for hours after school. He’s so dedicated that he’ll hand me his phone so he won’t be distracted. He’s a perfect example of how hard work pays off. - Principal Matt Altieri ’05
Broadcasting and Leadership
With his academics on track, Lucas turned his attention to the passion that had captured his imagination years earlier. The opportunity arrived unexpectedly during his freshman year when Athletic Director Pete Kahler ’02 asked him to step in as the broadcaster for a volleyball game. “I remember thinking, I don’t know anything about volleyball,” Lucas says with a laugh. "But I also realized it was the opportunity I’d been waiting for, so I just went for it.”
Since that first broadcast, Lucas has rarely stepped away from the microphone. He now works alongside St. Edward sports announcer Adam Mendoza and his son, Christopher Mendoza ’25, learning the rhythm of live sports coverage and the preparation that happens behind the scenes. He hosts a show on SETV, St. Edward’s student-run television network, runs his own YouTube channel, and serves as president of the Broadcasting Club. He’s just as active beyond the broadcast booth, contributing as a school ambassador, student minister, and writer for student publications.
One moment from this year stands out above the rest. “My broadcasting highlight was interviewing Cavs player Donovan Mitchell at a varsity basketball game,” Lucas says. “Standing there asking questions and realizing it was actually happening was surreal. That was definitely one of those times where I thought, this is what I want to do for the rest of my life.”
The Road Ahead
Next fall, Lucas will attend Elon University in North Carolina, where he has been awarded both the Elon Presidential Scholarship and the prestigious Fellow Scholarship. The program connects students with national broadcasters and provides opportunities for internships and industry experience. Lucas already has a clear vision for where he hopes that journey will lead. His goal is motorsports broadcasting, and Elon’s proximity to NASCAR country will give him opportunities to pursue internships and spend time around the sport he has followed since childhood.
“I’ve been going to races since I was little,” he says. “Over the last thirteen years I’ve had the chance to meet some incredible people in the industry.” Among those connections is NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace, the only Black driver currently competing at the sport’s highest level. “That’s someone I’ve really looked up to,” Lucas says. “Seeing someone break barriers in the sport makes it feel even more meaningful to pursue this path.”
A Family Legacy
Behind Lucas’s determination is a family story rooted in perseverance. “We still have freedom papers from 1852,” explains his mother. “Harper comes from a very rich history of Black men who have worked hard and pursued opportunities generation after generation.” Lucas will become the sixth generation in his family to attend college. “He’s inherited that work ethic,” his mother says. “Our family has always believed that with faith and education, you can build a better future.”
Family remains central to everything Lucas does. “Our family is really tight,” he says. “I’m blessed to have my grandma and grandpa living with us. Before my other grandpa passed away, he was able to see me inducted into the National Honor Society, and that meant so much to both of us because he had earned the same honor when he was younger.”
Words of Wisdom
As he prepares for graduation, Lucas often reflects on the lessons that shaped his time at St. Edward. His advice to younger students is simple: make friends early, get involved in things that interest you, and don’t be afraid to try something new.
“And above all,” he says, “keep going. If you stay consistent and keep working, St. Edward will help you get to the next step on your journey. I can’t wait for mine.”
