In seventh grade, Grant Urban played soccer, baseball, and basketball. By his senior year at Lincoln-Way East, he emerged as a college recruit in football and a vital player for the Griffins volleyball team. Urban reflected on his unexpected journey, “I had no idea where my career would go. I actually thought I was going to be a professional soccer player. I never thought that I would be doing this.”
Urban’s next step is as a kicker for Wisconsin-Whitewater’s football team. However, for now, he focuses on helping Lincoln-Way East make a strong postseason run. As a senior outside hitter, Urban scored nine kills on Thursday night, leading the Griffins to a 25-17, 25-21 victory against district rival Lincoln-Way West in the Kankakee Regional championship match. Junior Carter Geiger contributed six kills and nine digs for Lincoln-Way East, which now holds a record of 28-10. This victory marked their third consecutive regional title and 18th overall.
Henry Yacobozzi added five kills to the Griffins’ efforts, while Rylan Kim notched 23 assists, and Marty Dwyer recorded 14 digs. On the Lincoln-Way West side, Colin Baikie led with 10 kills, supported by David Neylon with five kills, Aiden Kettelson with 18 assists, and Mason Thompson with 14 digs.
Urban has been impressive on the varsity team for three years despite starting volleyball later than most. Lincoln-Way East coach Kris Fiore praised Urban’s athleticism, stating, “It’s a lot easier to excel at any sport if you are as athletic as he is. He could be a great basketball player. He’s just an athletic kid.”
Carter Geiger and Marty Dwyer proudly displayed the championship plaque after their victory over Lincoln-Way West in the Kankakee Regional final on Thursday, May 28, 2026.
Despite not playing club volleyball in the offseason due to his focus on kicking camps, Urban quickly caught up in performance. Coach Fiore noted Urban’s progress, “It took him a little while to get going because he didn’t play in the winter when a lot of the other kids were playing seven or eight months straight. But we knew it was just a matter of reps and getting him comfortable again.”
Geiger, a George Mason recruit, praised Urban’s ability to motivate the team, saying, “He gets all the guys going, and everyone loves him. You can hear them cheer his name.”
The team will face another challenge at 10 a.m. Saturday against district rival Lincoln-Way Central (30-6) in the O’Fallon Sectional semifinals at Lincoln-Way East. Lincoln-Way Central triumphed over Homewood-Flossmoor to win the Andrew Regional. Both Lincoln-Way Central and Lincoln-Way East split two regular-season meetings.
This regional title held special significance for the Griffins, who overcame a challenging period when they stood at 8-7 following senior outside hitter Joey Abbeduto’s season-ending shoulder surgery, coupled with other injury setbacks. They have since embarked on a 13-match winning streak. “The season didn’t start out the best, but we got back and had a big run,” Geiger remarked. “Everyone has a lot of energy, even the bench, and that’s a key part of our program.”
Apart from his accomplishments on the volleyball court, Urban made impactful contributions on the football field, not only by kicking for Lincoln-Way East but also by fundraising for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer. He secured pledges for every point he scored, amassing about $1,000 for the cause. Urban shared his motivation, “I thought it would be a nice thing to do. I really wanted to make my season on the field help make an impact off the field. I posted a link on Twitter and sent it out to my family. I definitely got a lot of support from them, and the word spread.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
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