Brewster Quarterback Headed to Southern Connecticut State

After achieving success on and off the field at Brewster High School (BHS)—where he earned great grades and played with a football team that went undefeated for most of the season—Brian McNeill is ready for the next chapter: pursuing a career in athletic training.

McNeill, a senior at BHS, will attend Southern Connecticut State University, where he will continue playing football, come fall. He considered about a dozen schools in his search, and made sure he was "looking first" for his major, before settling on the New Haven, CT-based school.

"Academic wise it was one of the top schools in the nation for athletic training," McNeill said, referring to the profession he's dreamed of since the sixth-grade. "Their football program was good and I mean, it's close to home. My fan base is my family. They were at every single one of my games."

Those games were some of McNeill's best memories at Brewster. He said he'll always remember how well the team he captained got along this year, and "how much fun" the players had together.

Athletic Director Dean Berardo had positive things to say about McNeill, from his football statistics to his "above-average" basketball skills.

"Above all, his athletic accomplishments are excellent," he said, noting McNeill's participation in the Special Olympics and the high school's athletic reading program. "He's been a role model in the school ... and he's somebody that does the right thing all the time. He's good role model, a good leader."

With hopes to possibly obtain his doctorate one day, McNeill is eager to get his college career started.

"I'm really excited," he said. "I kind of want it to come now."