Lehman chooses San Diego
Mustangs kicker-punter headed to the Toreros, will sign early next month.
Year-round weather in California or year-round weather in Pennsylvania … it weighed heavily into Aidan Lehman’s college decision.
And he chose the former.
“It works for me,” the senior said with a grin on Sunday.
Seriously, Lehman committed to San Diego football, choosing the Toreros over the Lehigh Mountain Hawks. He will sign his letter-of-intent on Feb. 3.
“It was just really was a gut feeling, a really tough decision,” he said. “They’re both good schools, a lot of good things about both of them … I’ll be happy in San Diego.”
A soccer player for most of his life, the 6-foot, 185-pound Lehman said he was asked to try out for the Mustangs football team as a freshman and decided to stay with it. His soccer background proved invaluable and he blossomed as a senior. He was named Class 5A second team all-state by in-state coaches as well as first team in the Centennial League.
In a 2020 season shortened and modified considerably by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Lehman, in six games, scored 29 points, was 8-of-9 in field goals (he missed from 61 yards) and 5-of-5 in conversion kicks, kicked off 18 times with 15 touchbacks, and punted 15 times for a 41.9-yard average.
The Toreros kicker-punter, Lehman said he was told, is transferring to San Diego State, so he’ll have immediate opportunity to take both spots. He’s also considering returning to the Mullen soccer team that will compete later this school year in the new Season C. There’s no conflict with football, but his return to the Mustangs pitch will include weighing possibility of injury, a relevant thought process throughout the pandemic.
Academically, Lehman said he has a 4.23 grade-point average and had all A’s in his first semester. He’s all but certain bio-mechanical engineering will be his major, although studying to become a doctor is a distinct possibility.
For now, heading to college to kick and punt will keep him floating along nicely through the second half of his senior year as a Mustang.
“I really am super excited and it has been a dream of mine since kicking my freshman year,” Lehman said.
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