Congratulations College Signings!

Lancers-Turned-Pro

Craig Heimburger – Football
Garrett Johnson – Football
Gary Leonard – Basketball
Matt Russell – Football
Nathan Hodel – Football
Randy Wells – Baseball

Craig Heimburger was a 1995 graduate of Belleville East who excelled on the gridiron. He chose to continue his education and football career at the University of Missouri in Columbia. Heimburger experienced individual success during his career from 1995-1998 being selected as an All Big 12 Offensive Tackle and the Tiger team also qualified for two bowls. Craig played in both the 1997 Holiday Bowl and the 1998 Insight.com Bowl. In the 1999 NFL draft the Green Bay Packers selected Heimburger with a fifth round pick. The next year Craig was a member of the championship Rhein Fire of NFL Europe before returning stateside to join the Cincinnati Bengals for the 2000 NFL season. In 2001 Heimburger was a member of the Buffalo Bills. He concluded his successful football career with two years in the Arena Football League. The success did not stop on the field; in 2003 Craig started Heimburger Construction Company in Illinois where he serves as President. Currently he lives in the area with his wife and daughter.

Garrett Johnson was a 1995 graduate of Belleville East who starred on the football field during his time as a Lancer. After graduation he pursued higher education and football at the University of Illinois in Champaign. Johnson was a four year letter winner for the Illini and a team leader who emerged as a strong NFL prospect after an outstanding senior season in 1998. He went on to continue his football career in the NFL when he signed a free agent contract with the New England Patriots. After retiring from football Garrett returned to the Metro East and became a founding partner in Garrett E. and Herschel Johnson Real Estate and Development.

Gary Leonard was a 1985 graduate of Belleville East who stood out on the basketball court. Leonard continued his career at the University of Missouri in Columbia after graduating from East. Gary was a part time starter during his first three seasons for the Tigers before emerging as a star during his senior season. In March of 1989 Leonard helped lead the Tigers to the Sweet Sixteen where they fell to the University of Syracuse. Later that same year Gary was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the 34th overall pick in the NBA draft. He would then go on to play for the Atlanta Hawks during the 1990-1992 seasons. At the conclusion of his NBA career Leonard had short stints in professional basketball leagues in both Greece and South America. After retiring from basketball he returned to Columbia, Missouri where he became a successful investment banker and part time analyst for Missouri Tiger basketball. He and his wife have three children.

Matt Russell was a 1993 graduate of Belleville East High School where he excelled in football. He continued both his education and football career at the University of Colorado where he was a four year starter. His collegiate career was highlighted his senior year by being chosen First Team All-American as well as winning the Butkus Award as the most outstanding linebacker in the nation. Matt continued his football career in the NFL after being selected by the Detroit Lions in the fourth round of the 1997 NFL draft. Unfortunately knee injuries forced him to cut his playing career short with his retirement coming in 2000. Instead of letting his misfortune derail him Matt Russell used his love of football to get back into the NFL, this time in scouting. The Patriots hired Matt and he worked in their scouting department from 2001-2005, his time was highlighted when the Patriots won the Super Bowl in 2001, 2003, and 2004. He moved on to work in the scouting department of the Philadelphia Eagles (2006-2008) before settling into his current role as Director of College Scouting for the Denver Broncos.

Nathan Hodel was a 1996 Belleville East graduate who excelled in both baseball and football during his Lancer career. Nathan was a model Lancer both on the field and off, as demonstrated by his selection as the Bob Baldwin award winner his senior year. He chose to continue his academic career at the University of Illinois and in the fall of 1997 he changed his life forever when he successfully walked on to the Illini football team as well as being a pitcher on the Illini baseball team. During that first season Nathan was able to win the long snapping job as a walk on and went on to be a four year letter winner for the Fighting Illini. While he listed his ambition as becoming a teacher and coach in college that career would have to wait as he pursued an NFL career as a long snapper. In 2001 Hodel signed as an undrafted free agent with the Carolina Panthers, but his opportunity came later that same season with the Arizona Cardinals. He served as the team’s primary long snapper from 2002-2008. A career highlight for Hodel was playing for the Cardinals in Super Bowl 43 at the end of the 2008 season. Hodel concluded his careers with brief stints with both the New England Patriots and Detroit Lions. He currently resides in the Chicago area with his wife and two kids and runs a successful photography/graphic design studio.

Randy Wells was a standout baseball player who graduated from Belleville East High School in 2000. After leaving East Randy continued his baseball career at nearby Southwestern Illinois College where he quickly worked his way into the starting lineup as a catcher. During his sophomore campaign he committed to continue his collegiate career at Eastern Illinois University but the Chicago Cubs drafted Wells in the 38th round of the 2002 amateur entry draft. A change from behind the plate to the pitcher’s mound started a meteoric rise through the minor leagues. Prior to the 2008 season the Toronto Blue Jays chose Wells in the rule 5 draft and he made the Major League roster with his big league debut coming on April 5, 2008. Later that season he returned to the Cubs and spent the 2008 and 2009 seasons splitting time between the Major Leagues and Triple A. Clearly his time with the Cubs made a positive impression because he moved into the starting rotation in Chicago at the beginning of the 2010 season and he maintains that role as a starting pitcher for the Chicago Cubs today.