Ethan Grunkemeyer’s story at Penn State is just beginning. A redshirt freshman quarterback for the Nittany Lions, he saw the field once in 2024, and through the active early weeks of the 2025 season has logged 105 passing yards and a touchdown across two appearances. He arrived in Happy Valley from Lewis Center, Ohio, where he starred at Olentangy High School, and shattered school records in career passing yards (8,401), touchdowns (80), single-season passing yards (3,517), and single-season touchdowns (39). Ranked as a consensus four-star prospect by ESPN, 247Sports, On3, and Rivals.

Yet the roots of that foundation extend beyond stats and scouting reports. Ethan Grunkemeyer is the son of Megan McCabe and Heather Grunkemeyer, both of whom played collegiate basketball, and he grew up in a household where competition and discipline were woven by two moms into everyday life. Alongside his brother Brady, Ethan was shaped by the expectations of athletes who knew firsthand the sacrifices and focus required to succeed.

Who is Ethan Grunkemeyer’s mother? Meet Megan McCabe

Megan McCabe’s impact on Ethan’s career is undeniable. She was a basketball player at her son’s biggest rivals, Ohio State University, from 1997 to 1999. Mama Grunkemeyer, too, has lived the grind of Big Ten athletics and understood the demands placed on high-level student-athletes. Ethan acquired the contact of then-PSU OC somehow earlier, “(Ethan) had actually heard from Penn State that they felt like they had their 2024 quarterback. They thought Ethan was a good player but kind of wished him luck,” Megan McCabe told of her son to The Athletic. “And he still didn’t take that no. … He was like, ‘Well, I got (Yurcich’s) number. I might as well send him my workout video.’” Her background offered Ethan early exposure to what it meant to prepare, to compete, and to push beyond limits.

Who is Ethan Grunkemeyer’s second mother? Meet Heather Grunkemeyer.

Heather Grunkemeyer carved out her own athletic path at Gustavus Adolphus College, where she played basketball between 1989 and 1993. While Megan’s experience gave Ethan a window into life at a Power Five program, Heather provided balance through emotional support and perspective. “Since elementary school, his dream was to play FBS, Power 5 football, and he just never gave up,” Heather Grunkemeyer said of her son. “He was relentless.”

She knew the demands of competitive athletics at a high level and offered Ethan an empathetic understanding of both the challenges and joys of the journey. The biological mother among the two isn’t known. But both their guidance and experience created a household where discipline was matched by encouragement.

Ethan Grunkemeyer’s bond with his parents

That balance has defined Ethan’s relationship with his moms as he’s stepped into the national spotlight. Megan and Heather have been visibly present at key moments of his football journey, including recruitment events and his all-important visit to Penn State. Megan’s OSU influence almost got Ethan wanting to play for The Shoe. “Growing up, I definitely wanted to play in the Horseshoe,” Ethan said. “And then as I got older and learned more about how the recruiting process worked, you realize that not everyone plays for Ohio State that’s from Ohio.”

Heather and Megan handed a basketball to Ethan since the time he could sit up. But he chose football. As a young boy, he used to write out his own Big Ten schedule and jot down what his stats would be. “My parents have been so supportive with everything,” Ethan said. “They’ve been awesome. I can’t even explain how helpful they’ve been with everything.” For Ethan, their support has been a stabilizing force, keeping him grounded as expectations mount in a program that consistently demands excellence at the position.

The competitive edge instilled by the two with collegiate hoops backgrounds has been evident in Ethan’s development, but so has the quiet strength of their presence in his life.