West Aurora’s Camron Donatlan to ride for Wyoming

By Bobby Narang – 
West Aurora High School’s Camron Donatlan has big goals for his athletic college career.
Donatlan, a football, basketball, and track star, signed to play football and track at the University of Wyoming for the Cowboys. He’s on

campus in Laramie, 128 miles north of Denver.
“A lot of people said I was the best athlete in West Aurora’s history,” Donatlan said recently. “I hope to be the best athlete at Wyoming. I worked really hard at the three sports. My teammates and coaches really helped me so much.”
After a stellar high school career, Donatlan is a player capable of making a big mark at Wyoming. He played varsity basketball for four years at West Aurora, won three individuals State championships in track, and became an in-demand recruit in football even though he didn’t play one full season.
The 6-2 and 200-pound Donatlan, who was named the 2018 Chicago Tribune Prep Athlete of the Year, capped his career by winning the Class 3A long jump State championship last month. He expressed disappointment over not winning the high jump after capturing back-to-back State championships his sophomore and junior seasons. He took fourth place his senior season.
“I’m very happy to win the long jump, but frustrated that I couldn’t win the high jump again,” he said.

Donatlan might not be scheduled to play basketball at Wyoming, but his high school basketball numbers were pretty impressive, considering West Aurora’s storied program’s place in State history. Donatlan finished fourth on the program’s all-time scoring list with 1,532 points. He played on the varsity as a freshman. He led the Blackhawks to the super-sectional last season, one step away from the four-team Class 4A State tournament until losing to eventual State champion Belleville West.
A wide receiver in football, Donatlan helped lead the Blackhawks to a 7-3 record in limited action his senior season. He missed three weeks with a dislocated knuckle and hand injury. He was an occasional runningback and returned kicks.
Donatlan said one of his biggest career highlights is winning back-to-back high jump State championships.
“Basketball is my best sport,” Donatlan said. “Basketball is my first love, but football and track I became good at later in high school.”
Donatlan said he’s enjoying his time at Wyoming. He arrived on campus in the middle of this month.
“I really like it out here,” he said in a telephone interview. “It’s a nice campus and I know a few people on the (football team). The mountains are really nice. I’m excited for my freshman year.”
His goal is to make the team this year and not be redshirted this season.
Wyoming will open the season at New Mexico State Saturday, Aug. 25, play six home games, and play in Hawaii Saturday, Oct. 6. The closest the Cowboys will play to Aurora will be in Columbia, Mo. at the University of Missouri Saturday, Sept. 8. Wyoming plays in the Mountain West Conference.