Sophomore running back Nick Waldvogel is making a name for himself at St. Thomas, but he’s not the first in his family to do so.

Nick’s brother, 2012 graduate and former football player, Fritz Waldvogel, was a star athlete as well. Nick said their similarities started when they were young.

“We have similar body types and similar interests,” Nick said. “We both played basketball, both played football. Sports have always been really important to us.”

Coach Glenn Caruso, who has coached both Fritz and Nick, said that while the brothers are similar physically, he’s gotten to know them as individuals.

“They’re a lot more different than people would see at first glance,” Caruso said. “Nick is more a true running back where with the ball in his hands, the blocking schemes come alive in front of him. Where Fritz was more find the open space, get the ball in his hands and then operate more in space.”

Nick said it was helpful watching his older brother go through the system before him.

“The thing he’s really taught me is knowing what to expect and helping me with anxiety a little bit,” Nick said.

An older sibling might feel it’s necessary to give advice to a younger sibling, but Fritz claimed that Nick does not need his help.

“Sometimes I’ll talk to him throughout the week if he has questions, but for the most part, he’s pretty busy, and he’s got a great coaching staff that he can lean on – Coach Caruso and the whole offensive staff. He doesn’t need my old man advice,” Fritz said.

Although their skillsets are very similar, Caruso said their roles on the team were actually reversed.

“It’s interesting because Fritz was more a wide receiver that we used certainly as a wide receiver but also as a running back,” Caruso said. ”And Nick is really more running back that we use as a running back but then also as a wide receiver.”

Fritz agreed that their roles on the team were different.

“I think he’s a little bit bigger than I was. I don’t think I could ever take all the beating he took as a running back,” Fritz said. “I was kind of on the outside, doing the pretty boy stuff. But he does a lot of the tough blocking.”

Although Fritz had a successful Tommie career as a two-time recipient of the MVP award in the MIAC, he gave the nod to Nick as the better player.

“I think Nick’s got a lot of potential, honestly. He’s a really good player,” Fritz said. “He’s got a bright future in the next couple years.”

Caruso said it was a blessing to have coached both Waldvogels.

“I think it’s tougher for Nick because now the program is so much more developed, and the schemes are so much more developed,” Caruso said. “As far as their personalities, they are both joys to coach.”

Andrew Frentz can be reached at fren2218@stthomas.edu.