One of the greatest student-athletes in State High history is moving on. On Feb. 5, Cooper Brushwood signed his commitment to Sacred Heart University to play Division I football and lacrosse.

Brushwood first received a football offer from Sacred Heart on Dec. 11, then connected with the lacrosse program and received that offer in mid-January. He was drawn to Sacred Heart by the winning culture within the athletic department.

“The people there are great,” Brushwood said. “Obviously the school itself is great, and there’s such a winning culture there, like people really care about athletics. At the same time, I felt like it was a place I could see myself grow, and they definitely have the resources for that, so I’m excited to be up there for the next four.”

Playing both of his sports at the collegiate level has been a lifelong dream for Brushwood.

“I’m definitely looking forward to it, but it’s gonna be challenging,” he said. “Ever since I was little, I’ve always had the goal of playing Division I sports, specifically football and lacrosse, so I think my parents have done a great job just keeping me grounded and realizing how it’s going to be a challenge, but I’m also blessed at the same time.”

State High Boys Lacrosse Head Coach Tyler Kaluza believes that Brushwood is capable of balancing both sports at the next level.

“I think with his work ethic, with his coachability, and his desire to continue to get better, if there’s anyone that can do it, it’d be him. I think he’ll really step up to those challenges. It’s hard enough to do it at the high school level, but when you’re doing it in college, with all the academics, it’ll definitely be tough. I think he’ll be able to handle those challenges very well,” Kaluza said.

Brushwood nearly made a life-altering decision early in his high school career that would’ve made that dream impossible.

“Not many people know, but I was actually not supposed to finish my high school career here, I was supposed to transfer out my sophomore year and try to really just play lacrosse, and the reason I stayed is because of my brothers and the family I have here at State High,” Brushwood said.

State High is certainly glad he stayed. On the lacrosse field, Brushwood was the 2024 Mid-Penn Commonwealth Player of the Year, is a three-time member of the All-Mid-Penn First Team, holds school records for most goals and points in a single season with 75 and 110, respectively, and in 2024 was a team captain and State High’s first ever USA Lacrosse All-American, all before his senior year.

Brushwood is also a two-time captain of the football team, a three-time All-Mid-Penn safety and a member of the 2024 PA Football News Coaches Select All-State Second Team as a wide receiver.

“They’re looking at him as a receiver and I think he will excel there,” State High Football Head Coach Matt Lintal said. “He’s got great hands, great route running ability and his top-end speed is really exceptional. He’s fearless, he plays a lot bigger than he is, and again, he’s just so team-oriented.”

While Brushwood’s athletic accolades are impressive, Lintal raved even more about his impact off the field.

“[Brushwood is] one of the nicest and most competitive young men that I’ve had the opportunity to coach. Cooper is the last one out of the locker room making sure everything’s picked up, he’s the last one off the bus making sure everything’s picked up, he is the first one there to greet everybody on the team and he’s just such a kind young man. The culture that he instills around him is the right type of culture, just team-oriented,” Lintal said.

Lintal went on to tell a story about Brushwood that explains the type of person and leader he is. “He had to drop something off at my house one time, most kids would have just dropped it off on the porch and taken off, but he’s there, and he ends up playing lacrosse catch with my son for 30 minutes,” Lintal said. “He didn’t have to do that, you know, he chose to do that. He just has a knack for reaching out to others and just putting other people first.”

That’s the legacy that Brushwood hopes to leave behind at State High, not of his touchdowns and interceptions, but of his relationships with his coaches’ kids and impact on the school in general. Brushwood said that Brady Lintal looking up to him and wearing his number one this football season “means everything.”

“That’s the reason why I do it in the first place. I’m not just just a kid who just goes through the school and is gonna go move on and forget where he came from. I want to come back and help the kids who are behind me and propel them into the spot I am now,” Brushwood said. “I mean, I know how challenging it is nowadays to compete at this level, and obviously it can be scary, but at the same time, like I feel like I’m a good representation of how if you work hard and care for others you can really be successful.”

Brushwood is well on his way to building that legacy.

“Coop is the type of kid that makes everyone around him a better person. He challenges people on the field but he’s kind, he’s respectful, all of his teachers will say the same thing,” Kaluza said. “His family values are second to none, so I think his legacy in terms of ‘leaving it better than you found it,’ Coop really embodies that.”

Lintal echoed his colleague’s sentiments. “His legacy is far beyond the stats, which are amazing,” Lintal said. “His legacy is how you live your life, you live your life for others and put other people first and great happiness comes from that. You can see that within Coop, he’s mature beyond his years and he has been an absolute privilege and honor to coach.”