DRAKE WESTCOTT

---

 Drake Westcott — Legacy of Excellence

Scholar. Leader. Champion.

Drake Westcott’s journey from Edwardsville High School to the University of Illinois is defined by integrity, leadership, and elite performance — both in the classroom and on the field.

A true scholar-athlete, Drake excelled academically while competing at the highest level.

• Graduated with honors in Sports Management (GPA 3.6)
• Master’s Certificate — Strategic Leadership & Management (4.0 GPA)
• Dean’s List & Academic All–Big Ten
• Chi Alpha Sigma Honor Society inductee
• Outstanding Graduate Male Scholar
• Five-time Scholar Athlete of the Week

He proved that dedication to learning and leadership matters just as much as performance on game day.

Across 146 games, Drake became one of the most powerful hitters in program history:

.277 AVG • .390 OBP • .550 SLG
150 Hits • 43 Home Runs • 131 RBI

🏆 2nd all-time in Illinois history in career home runs
🏆 2024 Big Ten Champion
🏆 All-Big Ten & Big Ten All-Tournament Selection

Known for clutch moments and leadership, he left a lasting mark on Illini baseball.

One of the top prep hitters in the Midwest:

• Two-time All-State selection
• Rawlings All-Region honoree
• Top-ranked first baseman in Illinois
• PBR All-Decade Team (2010–2019)

His power and presence set the stage for collegiate success.

Drake Westcott represents the heart of a scholar-athlete — disciplined, driven, and team-first. His story reflects the pursuit of greatness through character, perseverance, and purpose.

A standard-bearer.
A role model.
A legacy that inspires.

 Diego Maradona — Football Genius & Global Icon

Artist • Champion • Inspiration

For generations of football fans around the world, Diego Armando Maradona stands as one of the greatest to ever step onto the pitch. A once-in-a-lifetime talent, Maradona’s creativity, passion, and flair transformed football into art — inspiring millions and forever changing the history of the sport.

But his legacy extends far beyond goals, medals, and trophies.

A Leader Who Carried a Nation

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Maradona rose from humble beginnings to become a national hero. His career reached mythical status when he led Argentina to World Cup glory in 1986, delivering one of the most extraordinary tournament performances ever recorded. During that run, he scored two of the most famous goals in history — including the breathtaking “Goal of the Century,” weaving past five defenders with unmatched brilliance.

To Argentina, he was more than a footballer.
He was belief. He was joy.
He was the story that said greatness can come from anywhere.

A Legend at Napoli

At the club level, Maradona wrote history again — this time in Naples, Italy. Joining Napoli at a time when few believed they could compete with Europe’s elite, he lifted the team to two Serie A titles, a UEFA Cup championship, and multiple domestic honors. His magic turned Napoli into a global powerhouse and brought pride to an entire city.

To this day, he is remembered not only as a champion —
but as a symbol of hope.

An Artist With the Ball

Maradona’s game blended:

✔ Fearless dribbling
✔ Masterful vision
✔ Balance and creativity
✔ Pure competitive fire

He possessed the rare power to change a match single-handedly — lifting teammates, mesmerizing fans, and leaving opponents in awe. His brilliance was spontaneous, joyful, and unforgettable.

A Legacy That Lives Forever

Like all great human stories, Maradona’s life reflected triumph, challenge, resilience, and heart. And through it all, his connection to the people never faded.

Beyond trophies…
Beyond stadiums…
Beyond the game itself…

Diego Maradona became a global cultural icon — a reminder that genius, passion, and imagination can unite the world.

His legacy lives on in every child who dreams with a ball at their feet — believing that brilliance, no matter where it comes from, can change the world.

A football artist.
A champion of the people.
A legend for all time.

Michael Nyitray — Pioneering Coach • Innovator • USOPC National Award Recipient

 For more than four decades, Michael Nyitray has stood at the forefront of coaching, innovation, and athlete development within the sport of bowling—earning national and international distinction as one of the most accomplished figures in the industry. A pioneer, mentor, visionary program-builder, and world-class coach, Nyitray’s impact has shaped youth, collegiate, professional, and international players at every competitive level.

Nyitray made history as the first person in United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) history to receive two National Coaching Awards, earning National Developmental Coach of the Year honors in both 2010 and 2012—the only bowling professional to ever be recognized with a national USOPC coaching award. He has also been honored four times as the USOPC Developmental Coach of the Year for Bowling (2008, 2010, 2011, 2012). His work has further been celebrated through multiple major recognitions from the United States Bowling Congress, including the Joyce Deitch Unity Award, Kerm Helmer Horizon Award, and David Dahms Coach of the Year—making him the only individual to receive all three honors.

A trailblazer in coaching leadership, Nyitray became the first person to head National, Collegiate, and High School bowling programs, and he was the first to complete the prestigious USA Bowling Gold Certification Program. His coaching career has spanned the globe, leading elite athletes and national teams in Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Venezuela, and the United States, including guiding Team Thailand to World Championship gold at the 1995 FIQ World Championships.

At the youth level, Nyitray has served as a transformative mentor and developer of champions. His student-athletes have gone on to Team USA and Junior Team USA selections, national titles, professional success, and Hall of Fame honors, while winning dozens of international medals and national championships. He has coached multiple High School All-Americans, state champions, and record-setting performers across Florida and beyond.

Demonstrating extraordinary dedication to youth-sport infrastructure, Nyitray is the Founder and Director of the U.S. High School Bowling National Championship (est. 2016), now one of the premier scholastic bowling events in the nation. He also founded the U.S. High School Bowling Foundation, creating the first comprehensive national scoring records database for high school bowling, archiving thousands of achievements across dozens of states. His leadership has helped elevate high school bowling into a respected competitive pathway for student-athletes nationwide.

Beyond coaching and administration, Nyitray is also an innovator and problem-solver. He invented the Crossover Chair, the world’s first wheelchair designed specifically to enable and empower competitive bowlers with disabilities—an advancement protected by multiple U.S. patents and recognized across the adaptive sports community.

Nyitray’s service has been defined by volunteerism, mentorship, and athlete-centered development, contributing tens of thousands of hours to coaching, organizing events, consulting, educating coaches, writing instructional material, and advancing the sport through science-based, athlete-first training principles.

His honors include induction into numerous Halls of Fame, among them both the Florida State USBC Hall of Fame for Meritorious Service and for Ability—a unique dual-recognition achievement—as well as Broward College’s Alumni Hall of Distinction.

Through an unmatched record of leadership, innovation, and servant-minded dedication, Michael Nyitray has elevated the sport of bowling at every level—athlete, program, and community alike. His career stands as one of the most significant contributions to the growth and professionalism of American bowling.