College Corner: Heritage Grad, West Virginia Football Walkon Nick Cadwell Awarded Full Scholarship for Spring Semester

West Virginia Redshirt Junior Nick Cadwell with parents Paul and Kris at Orange Bowl

(Jan. 9, 2012) - Hard does indeed pay off, just ask Heritage High School grad Nick Cadwell, a redshirt junior walkon safety at West Virginia, who not only saw kickoff action in the Orange Bowl but has been awarded a full scholarship for this upcoming spring semester.

Cadwell posted on Facebook Sunday: "Today I got some of the best news of my life. I found out that I will now have a full scholarship for football to WVU. Thank you to all of you that have always believed in me and always been there for me. Its a great day to be a mountaineer!!"

Cadwell graduated from Heritage in 2008 after a standout prep career that included 218 tackles with 126, 60 of them solo and nine sacks, coming in his senior year. Cadwell walked onto the Mountaineer program where he redshirted in 2008 and was a scout team star in 2009 and 2010. This season Cadwell broke onto the depth charts, coming into the season as No. 3 at free safety.

Cadwell said he was driving back for the spring semester when he got the call about the scholarship, and it was a complete surprise.

"They just started to talk to me about my good grades and that how I have been working really hard and that they have notice it and they said that they were going to put me on scholarship for this semester. I didnt know how to react," said Cadwell.

College Corner: Heritage Grad Cadwell Making Strides at West Virginia

(May 13, 2010) - Former Heritage High School standout Nick Cadwell recently competed in the spring football game at West Virginia University and the redshirt sophomore will look to compete for playing time in the upcoming season. Cadwell has bulked up to 192 pounds and is listed as the third string free safety and also should get a solid look at special teams play this summer.

Photos courtesy Paul Cadwell

Football: Heritage Grad Cadwell to Suit Up for West Virginia vs. Pitt

(Nov. 25, 2009) - Some walk-on players at big-time college football programs never get to suit up with the team. That is just the reality of it but for Leesburg native Nick Cadwell, his hard work has paid off after the team informed the redshirt freshmen, who was low enough on the walk-on chart that he didn't make the summer roster, that he will suit up for West Virginia this Friday when the Mountaineers host Pitt in an nationally-televised contest at 7 p.m.

The Heritage High School grad -- a linebacker back then -- hit the weight room last year and made the spring squad as a walk-on. Told to come back out when school started, Cadwell played well enough that he has been starting free safety on the West Virginia practice squad.

After practice this week he was informed that Friday he would make his official debut. Look for him wearing No. 41.

Congrats to Nick, a player we enjoyed covering in his high school days.