Every day she walked through the halls of Naperville North, Sammy Marshall saw the jerseys hanging from the wall.
Add hers to the list.
Marshall and Matt LaCosse, both 2011 graduates, and 2010 grad James O’Shaughnessy had their jerseys join their alma mater’s “Huskies in the Pros” display last Friday.
LaCosse (NFL, New York Giants), O’Shaughnessy (NFL, Kansas City Chiefs) and Marshall (softball, Chicago Bandits) were presented with their framed professional jerseys for display in the lobby outside the school’s gymnasium.
“It’s still kind of surreal to me. I’ve been blessed,” said Marshall, the first woman among 10 former Huskies honored. “I never dreamed I would get up there for softball. Just to be considered one of them, it’s an honor.”
O’Shaughnessy and LaCosse, both tight ends, recently completed rookie seasons.
O’Shaughnessy, a fifth-round draft pick in 2015 out of Illinois State, caught six passes in seven games before being placed on injured reserve with a foot injury.
LaCosse had a more circuitous road to the NFL.
As a senior quarterback for Naperville North in 2010, LaCosse threw for 2,137 yards in leading the Huskies to the Class 8A quarterfinals.
Undrafted out of Illinois, where he played tight end, LaCosse signed with the Giants and was a standout at rookie minicamp. The Giants waived him Aug. 1, but the New York Jets signed him later that month. LaCosse was cut by the Jets when rosters were trimmed.
In November, the Giants brought back LaCosse and signed him to their practice squad.
“A lot of highs and a lot of lows,” LaCosse said. “It’s a little unnerving, but it’s the business side of the game. You just try to stay in as best shape as possible.”
On Christmas Day, LaCosse got the call that he was being promoted to the Giants’ active roster. Two days later he caught three passes for 22 yards in his NFL debut against the Vikings.
“It was a very emotional day, but a good day,” LaCosse said. “My phone didn’t stop ringing for about four days.”
LaCosse now lives in Clifton, N.J., but he tries to make it back for at least one football game and basketball game at Naperville North every year.
“Naperville will always be my home,” LaCosse said. “It was awesome to get my jersey up there and a big honor.”
Marshall set Western Illinois records for stolen bases and runs scored before being drafted with the 18th overall pick by the Chicago Bandits of National Pro Fastpitch in April 2015.
Marshall appeared in 25 games as a rookie for the Bandits, who won their third NPF championship last summer.
“Every athlete’s dream is to be a pro athlete, but you never think it will be you,” Marshall said. “The day I was drafted was the best day of my life up until the day we won the championship.”
Marshall is now a player — and a coach. She was named Wheaton Academy’s head softball coach in October.
“The job kind of fell into my lap, but I’m very happy to have the opportunity,” Marshall said. “I always knew I wanted to be a coach. I’m very passionate about softball.”
Joshua Welge is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.
