A few years ago, Ethan Grunkemeyer led the Olentangy Braves down the field on Friday nights. Now he has taken that to the college level–as the starter quarterback for The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State).
“It feels good living out my dream of playing college football,” Grunkemeyer said, “I’m most looking forward to the opportunities we have to play great teams and build connections with our teammates.”
Grunkemeyer, a 2024 graduate of Olentangy High School, committed to the Nitty Lions during his junior year of high school. After his last two Penn State seasons as a second-string quarterback, he was named the starter for the Nittany Lions after their game against Northwestern when their starting quarterback, Drew Allar, broke his left ankle.
“It’s a dream come true starting, it’s a lot of hard work studying film and working on the game plan,” Grunkemeyer said.
During his senior year at Olentangy, Grunkemeyer led the Braves to an impressive 11-2 record and the regional semifinals. He received an invitation to play in the Under Armour All-America Game. Grunkemeyer was also selected for first-team all-state, first-team all-conference, and conference Co-Offensive Player of the Year. He also played basketball for Olentangy during his high school career.
“He is one of the hardest-working kids I’ve ever coached. He was always spending time trying to get better at his craft, but he was just a normal kid. He was a goofball.” Olentangy football head coach Wade Bartholomew said, “he is always going to be a Brave.”
Grunkemeyer was not only an athlete; he also held an impressive 3.85 GPA while being a valuable member of the Olentangy community. He was awarded Scholar Athlete OCC for his academic success.
“Ethan was a good teammate and a good leader. And he was always an elite competitor. He is hilarious. Honestly, he is one of the best to go through ‘Tangy,” said former teammates Neko Chirpas ‘26 and Kaden Gebhardt ‘26.
Grunkemeyer is the founder of The Grunk Foundation, which aims to help raise awareness for kids with disabilities through inclusive, adaptive experiences every summer. Grunkemeyer and other Olentangy football players manage a BRAVElife camp for the students.
“Some advice I would have is just to keep going and not compare your process to anyone else. Just take it one step at a time and work hard to accomplish your dreams, “Grunkemeyer said.
Grunkemeyer is more than a star football player; he is a down-to-earth student who cares about those around him and wants to make a difference. Grunkemeyer will be on the road to play against The Ohio State University on November 1st.