Joe Hudson ’25, closed out his impressive CJ athletic career as a two-sport standout in football and basketball. On the football field this fall, Hudson made his presence known as both a defensive end and tight end, wearing number 15. He was a First Team All-GCL performer, finishing his football career with eight sacks and 138 total tackles—a testament to his strength, consistency, and leadership on defense.
“The best part of my time at CJ has been making new friends and being a part of something greater,” said Hudson.
“Joe is a great teammate, always had my back, my brother,” said Jayden Crowe ’25, a CJ football player. “He is just a good guy with a great personality.”
Outside of sports, Hudson believes that this community helped him grow in faith and prosperity through his time at CJ. Hudson earned a hashtag while playing sports at CJ was “Joe doing Joe things.” This saying is true with his friends, too, because Hudson does not follow the crowd but finds a way to be himself.
“Joe is a great guy,” said Devan Donelson ’26, a CJ football player. “He inspires me every day to be a better version of myself and work hard.”
Next year, Hudson will be attending Ohio Dominican University on a partial football scholarship. He is planning on being a business major.
“Graduating from CJ will be really hard, thinking about everything I’ll leave behind,’’ said Hudson. “My advice for those in the younger grades is to live your high school life to the fullest. Don’t leave with any regrets.”
Reflecting on his time playing sports at CJ, Hudson said, “My favorite part about CJ football was being able to play the game with my closest friends. My favorite part of playing basketball is the community and friendships you build, and the connections made with coaches.”
Transitioning from the field to the court, the 6’2” forward brought that same drive to the basketball team. Wearing number 10, Hudson helped lead the Eagles to a strong 15-9 season and a tie for second place in the highly competitive Greater Catholic League. As a basketball player, he was the second-leading scorer on the team and finished second in the GCL with a 59% overall field goal percentage. He also shot an impressive 37.8% from beyond the arc, averaging 8.4 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. His performance earned him Second Team All-GCL honors, further highlighting his impact on both ends of the court.
What makes this even more remarkable is that Hudson only began playing basketball when he arrived at CJ as a freshman in 2021, as his grade school, Our Lady of the Rosary, did not have a basketball team.
“CJ basketball taught me accountability,” Hudson said. “It also taught me trust while being trustworthy. CJ ball prepared me in ways nothing else could.”
“Joe’s biggest contribution to our team was his consistency,” said Charle Szabo, CJ’s basketball coach. “His strength and versatility allowed us to compete against a very challenging schedule. Joe exemplified the toughness of our basketball team and deserves the accolades he earned at the end of the season.”