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Luke Ford ’17, James Murray ’17 and Peter Pujals ’17 have played beside one another on the football field for nearly eight years. After playing together at Loyola Academy in Wilmette, Ill., the three became Crusaders and are now taking the football field together for the last time this season.

In a recent article on GoHolyCross.com, Ford, Murray and Pujals shared their history — from playing together as high school students and each deciding to attend Holy Cross, to becoming roommates, and their thoughts on playing their final season together.

“Looking back at it now, it is a very unique and rare situation to have played together so long. When we were kids, we never even thought about still being teammates ten years later,” said Pujals.

For co-captains Ford, offensive lineman, and Pujals, quarterback, their journey began even earlier. Living only five minutes apart, the two began attending school together in the first grade, and their football careers together in the fifth grade. Now as seniors at the College, both have earned their places on the “Patriot League Football Preseason All-League Team” and are excited to lead the team this season.

Murray believes in his teammates’ leadership as they head into their final season: “They will be great leaders in general. Peter is going into his third year as captain now, and Luke was a great captain in high school. They’re both really driven people, which I think is something that everyone looks up to and respects.”

Read the complete story on GoHolyCross.com.

This “Holy Cross in the News” item by Jessica McCaughey

On Tuesday evening, the College of the Holy Cross’ men’s and women’s basketball teams visited the home of Bob Cousy ’50, and spoke with the basketball legend himself, the Telegram & Gazette reports. Cousy, who played point guard for the College and later for the Boston Celtics, welcomed the basketball players and coaches into his home and “spoke to them about his days as a Crusader and a Celtic.”

While both basketball teams pass the bronze statue of Cousy in front of the Hart Center, talking with him in person was very different. “There’s a little bit more of a connection now,” said Malachi Alexander ’17, who plays forward for the men’s team. “Shaking his hand, hearing him talk, being in his home. He was more of a myth until now.”

“It was an honor,” said Katie Doherty ’18, who is a guard on the women’s team. “He has such a great legacy here at Holy Cross. We see his statue in front of the Hart Center all the time, and he’s motivation for all of us and inspiration to all of us.”

“He’s the guy,” Alexander said. “He’s the Holy Cross guy, he’s an NBA legend, he’s such a legend in so many aspects of the game. You always hear the stories and tales about Bob Cousy and the teams back in the ’40s and ’50s. It’s real life now.”

Joining the players for a visit were other Holy Cross basketball legends Togo Palazzi ’54, Ron Perry Sr. ’54 and Rev. Earle Markey, S.J. ’53.

This year also marks 70 years since Cousy stepped foot on the Holy Cross campus as a first-year student, when the men’s basketball team won the College’s only NCAA championship in 1947. This past March, the men’s basketball team won the Patriot League Tournament, which got Cousy to “jump out of his chair,” the Telegram & Gazette reports. The Patriot League win enabled the men’s team to advance to the NCAA Tournament, deeming them the first No. 9 seed to win the Patriot League Championship.

“The fact that we were able to inspire him,” said Robert Champion, ’17, who plays forward on the men’s team, “and he said it made an impact on him by what we were able to do, it definitely gives us even more motivation to go out there and try to do it again this year.”

Read the full article at Telegram.com.

This “Holy Cross in the News” article by Jessica Kennedy.

According to the Princeton Review, the College of the Holy Cross is one of the best institutions in the country and is profiled in “The Best 381 Colleges: 2017 Edition” (Penguin, Random House, Princeton Review Books). The Princeton Review’s annual college guide is a list of the top 15 percent of America’s 2,500 four-year colleges. Schools were ranked using eight categories that include academics, admissions, and financial aid.

At Holy Cross, academics combine “countless opportunities to learn through internships, speaker series,” “strong student life,” and “small classes,” says the Princeton Review. Holy Cross’ rigorous classes and “caring faculty” create “an incredible learning environment for students” and a “focus on shaping the student as a whole person.”

Holy Cross also ranked No. 15 for “Most Accessible Professors.” The Princeton Review reports, professors here are “dedicated to creating an exciting learning environment.” They are “always accessible and more than happy to help,” and they “get to know you on an individual and personal level.” Holy Cross has a 10:1 student-faculty ratio.

The Princeton Review also reports that Holy Cross students feel a “tremendous sense of community.” The College has a “plethora of community service opportunities” and many campus clubs and organizations, with most students taking part in extracurricular activities.

According to the profile, Holy Cross has a “fantastic network of alumni” that students say are active on campus. At Holy Cross, students receive “a broad-based foundation to be successful in variety of careers” and are given “an intangible set of skills that not only prepares them for a job, but for life.”

Related News:

• Learn more about the Princeton Review’s “Best 381 Colleges” 2017 
• Holy Cross Points of Pride

This “Holy Cross in the News” item by Jessica Kennedy.