Eye of the Storm: Nick Donlan '27

9/15/2026 11:11:00 AM

For Nick Donlan, success has never depended on being in the spotlight.

As an offensive lineman, the redshirt senior understands that much of his work will never appear in a box score. While touchdowns and highlight-reel plays often receive the attention, Donlan takes pride in the physical, often unnoticed work that makes those moments possible.

"I love that we don't get seen," Donlan said. "It doesn't get tracked in the stats, but when you show up on Saturdays, you see how we work. You have to see it to believe it."

That mentality has guided Donlan through a college football journey from Placerville, California, to Painesville, Ohio.

Before becoming a 6-foot-5, 278-pound offensive lineman for the Storm, Donlan grew up playing basketball. The sport was a family affair, and the constant training helped him develop the mobility and athleticism that would later benefit him on the football field.

Football entered the picture during the COVID-19 pandemic. While Donlan waited for basketball to begin, football started first, so he decided to give it a chance.

"I said, 'Why not give it a shot?'" Donlan recalled.

His family encouraged him to continue playing and discover how far the sport could take him. After graduating from Union Mine High School, Donlan attended Sierra College, which he described as his only option then.

His junior college experience brought one of the biggest challenges of his career. Donlan arrived as a defensive end but was eventually asked to move to the offensive line. The transition required him to learn an entirely new position and respond to demanding coaching.

"I thought I was going to be a defensive end for the rest of my life," Donlan said. "Then I switched to the offensive line, and I had to learn new things and take some tough coaching. I'm forever thankful for that challenge."

The position change ultimately created new opportunities. As Donlan finished his sophomore year and prepared to graduate from Sierra College, Lake Erie reached out. After considering several schools, he believed LEC offered the best opportunity to continue his career.

He was also impressed by the program's vision.

"Coach Price sold the pitch really well for me," Donlan said.

Moving across the country meant leaving his friends, family, and the familiarity of California behind. Ohio also introduced him to an entirely different climate. His first spring workout in slush and snow quickly showed him how significant the adjustment would be.

"Everyone was hyping it up, saying it was going to be tough," Donlan said. "I was like, 'It's not going to be that tough.' Practicing in the snow for the first time was definitely a big change for me."

Despite the distance and unfamiliar surroundings, Lake Erie began to feel like home during Donlan's first fall camp. His relationship with the offensive line helped him settle into the program and build a new sense of community.

Nick Donlan

Donlan credited teammates and roommates Joey Rozak and Logan Bernesser with helping him adjust after arriving in Painesville. Through long practices, meetings, and time together away from the field, the group developed the brotherhood that Donlan had been searching for.

That closeness matters most along the offensive line, where all five players must operate as one unit. According to Donlan, their communication has become nearly automatic.

"We've gotten so close that we know how to communicate without saying too much," he said. "We can say one word, and we're all on the same page."

Donlan started all 11 games for Lake Erie during the 2025 season, helping an offense average 87 rushing yards and 167.9 passing yards per game. The experience taught him the importance of moving forward through a season's highs and lows.

"It's a journey," Donlan said. "You have to keep trucking along."

One moment from that season remains particularly meaningful: Lake Erie's victory over Thomas More. Donlan remembers it as a gritty, complete team win—and he still remembers leaving the field with a smile.

That same grit has carried into the 2026 season. The Storm opened the year 2-0 for the first time since 2021, reflecting a culture that Donlan believes has grown stronger.

"Guys are more bought in," he said. "Guys are protecting the culture more. Everyone is bleeding green and black."

As one of the program's most experienced players, Donlan has become more vocal and considers himself a "culture protector." He wants to ensure that his teammates do the right things at the right time while showing younger players that disciplined habits lead to success.

"When you do things the right way, good things happen," Donlan said.

His leadership is also rooted in service. Donlan wants his teammates and coaches to remember him as someone who was always willing to help, pick others up, and do whatever the team needed.
Football has taught him to appreciate the people and opportunities surrounding him. His journey across the country has also strengthened his belief that athletes should give back to the schools and communities that support them.

"You have to give back to where you're at," Donlan said. "Always be thankful for the people around you, for your community and for your school."

During his final season, Donlan hopes to help Lake Erie establish a new standard—not only for the football program but for Storm Athletics Nick Donlan

as a whole. He wants the Painesville community to recognize that Lake Erie is ready to compete.

His goals are ambitious but direct: win it all and leave the program stronger than he found it.

After graduating with his marketing degree, Donlan plans to attend film school. For now, however, his attention remains on his teammates, the season ahead and the work performed every Saturday in the trenches.

When asked to describe this year's team in three words, Donlan chose the qualities that have shaped his own journey from California to Lake Erie:

"Gritty, together, and dominant."

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