What we saw is a four-year starting point guard that led the Warren Dragons to their first District 10 boys basketball championship in 41 years. He finished his high school career with 833 points and over 500 assists.

Named a multiple-time all-star in both sports, we also saw a running back that rushed for over 1,000 yards and had close to 2,000 all-purpose yards as a junior, finishing with 2,410 yards rushing and nearly 900 receiving in high school. Most coming at War Memorial Field, he scored 26 touchdowns in four seasons. He even threw two touchdown passes.

There is a lot that went into what we saw that we didn’t see.

“His dedication and commitment to outworking his opponent,” said Warren head football coach Cody Bupp. “He is the athlete you have full confidence in to make a play when it matters the most. He faced adversity this year, coming off a junior year, 1,000-yard rushing campaign, and then to suffer an ankle injury six plays into your senior season. He finally had the ball taken out of his hands, but never wavered in his support for his teammates. He worked his tail off to rehab and get back on the field for the last couple games.”

Nyquist signs his national letter of intent with his parents, Tim and Lindsay, and sister, Alexis. Photo submitted to the Times Observer

His work ethic from a young age helped him fulfill a goal of playing college football.

“It used to be basketball up until sophomore year,” said Nyquist, “then I decided I wanted to pursue football. Football and basketball have to do so much with the community and working as a team. It’s a great feeling that, when you win, you also win for your team and community.

“I’ve always worked and wanted to be the best player I could be,” he said. “I started to realize when I went to these camps that I was able to compete with people outside of my area. I am most proud of myself being able to compete no matter who it is against or how I am playing in that instance. I will always work hard no matter the circumstances. My goals for college are to get a degree, first off. Education is the most important thing about going to college. For athletics, I want to be able to play my freshman year, make an impact everyday, and continue to grow and get better. I’m extremely excited for college… I’m excited to be able to play with new people and be able to learn from different people. I will be majoring in Sports and Health Sciences as a way to become a Physician’s Assistant in Orthopedics. My advice for the student-athletes coming up would be to always work hard and give your best effort. Make it hard for the coaches to not be able to put you on the field or court, be able to take criticism and not just take it, but be able to apply it as well.”

No doubt advice the WAHS senior has been given in his life. By his own account, he’s had a tremendous support system and has bought into his community, teams, and family.

“It all starts with my dad,” said Tommy of his father, Tim. “He is the one who gets up early to do workouts with me or stays up late to do them. We have spent countless hours together with the game, whether it’s watching it on TV or just out in the yard playing catch. He’s always wanted what is best for me. He is the main reason I’m the person I am today. My mom (Lindsay), she is the one who schedules everything and, when I was younger, she would take me to the places I needed to go. No matter if it is about sports or just life in general, I know I can talk to her about anything. She meal preps for me and she cooks for me. She is the best mom anyone could ask for. My sister (Alexis) is my biggest fan. She’s always there when she can be and she is an awesome role model. I look up to her. My aunt Noel and uncle Todd have always supported me whether they were at the game or watching it on TV four hours away. No matter what, I’m lucky because they have always been involved in whatever I’m doing. My ‘nana’ and ‘pap’ have been to every single game since third grade. They have been big supporters for me. As for coaches, it all starts at the beginning in second grade when my dad and Gary (Barnes) put in countless hours for basketball and football building the foundation for each sport. To middle school with coach (Jeff) White, coach (Steve) Onuffer, and coach (Brad) Wright all helping me get to that next step. All my football coaches in high school, coach (Cody) Bupp, (Greg) Miller, (Andrew) Morrison, (Shawn) Wilson, (Mark) Morelli, (Ken) Hinton, and (Kevin) Reagle have been a huge support to my success. To my basketball coaches: coach (Jeff) Berdine and coach (Jeff) Eaton, who spent their nights to help me and my teammates become not just the best players but people we could be. Maceo (Wofford), my basketball trainer; we’ve been working together since as long as I can remember. He has gifted me with many tools in sports and in real life. I know he will always be a part of my life. Justin (Norris), my lifting trainer; we have been at it since eighth grade. The physical progress I have made is all thanks to him. I couldn’t be the athlete I am without him. I’m fortunate because I know Justin will always be there for me.”

Warren’s Tommy Nyquist will attend Alfred University to continued his academic and athletic career. Photo submitted to the Times Observer

With “going on bus rides with my teammates and just bonding together as a group” part of what made playing high school sports so special, Nyquist was looking for a place he felt most comfortable. He found it in Alfred, N.Y.

“As soon as I got on campus, I felt like this could be a home for me,” he said of Alfred University and the Division III Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Saxons. “As I got to know the players and coaches more, I knew that this was the place I wanted to be to further my academic and athletic career.”

Saxons Offensive Coordinator Curtis Bailey said the AU coaches were “impressed with Tommy from the start of the recruiting process.

“Tommy has the potential to be a very good college football player,” said Bailey. “His work ethic and ability to adjust to the physicality and speed of college football will determine when that happens.

“Tommy has a great opportunity to start a legacy of talented District 10 athletes who see the value in our university and historic football program,” said Bailey. “We have one heck of a recruiting class coming in and Tommy is a big piece of that.”

First and foremost, Bailey acknowledged that Nyquist “comes from a very supportive family and we are glad that they decided that Alfred University was the best fit for him… He is a man of high character and displays discipline in everything he does.”

These are among the traits that make his parents the most proud of him.

“Tommy has always been a hard worker, the hardest one we know, but we believe there are three additional qualities that set him apart and make him who he is — consistency, balance and kindness,” said his mother, Lindsay. “Since a young boy, he has always had an interest in sports and loved learning as much as he could about them. That developed into wanting to play them and be the absolute best he could be by training, practicing, and playing as often as he could. As he has grown, he has stayed consistent with his training, but balanced sports with school, work, family, and friends. We are beyond proud of how Tommy has grown and worked to be the best athlete, student, and even better person, and we cannot wait to see what lies ahead for him as he moves on to Alfred University. We know that what he has learned from all those involved in his journey, along with his work ethic and values, will carry him through this next chapter.”