Heidelberg University Athletics

Arriving on campus as a 6-0 freshman in the fall of 2007, joining a team mired in a 36-game losing streak, Euclid, Ohio, native Michael Preston grew as a Student Prince -- literally and figuratively. By the time he left campus to prepare for the NFL, he stood 6-5 and ‘Berg football was on the precipice of becoming a perennial contender.

Preston’s time as a Student Prince coincided with the arrival of Head Coach Mike Hallett. Their season-opening win in 2007, a 37-26 triumph over Oberlin, signaled a new era for Heidelberg football. That season, as a freshman, Preston had 18 receptions for 279 yards -- helping the Tricolor finish 4-6.

As a sophomore, he collected 26 receptions for 387 yards and four touchdowns. His first collegiate touchdown was a 52-yard bomb from Andrew Miller. But his final two touchdowns of the season served as a harbinger for Preston’s budding career. Trailing 40-35 in the final seconds of a game at Marietta, Preston hauled in an eight-yard game-winning touchdown pass that completed a frantic fourth-quarter comeback for Heidelberg. One week later, he scored another critical touchdown in a back-and-forth final quarter in a season-capping 45-41 victory at Muskingum. 

Entering his junior year, Preston was clearly Miller’s top target. Despite seeing the opponent’s top defensive backs each snap, he tallied 47 receptions for 869 yards and eight touchdowns. He had 100+ yards in five of the 10 games and was an All-Ohio Athletic Conference First Team honoree. 

      It was Preston’s senior season that the world, and more specifically, the NFL, took notice. He amassed 76 catches and set school records with 1,213 yards and 15 touchdowns. He went over 100 yards six times and over 200 once (210 vs. Otterbein). In the only game he didn’t register a touchdown reception, he threw for one -- a 41-yard pass to Josh Lynch. In addition to First Team All-Conference honors, Preston was named the OAC’s Ed Sherman Award recipient, given to the top receiver in the league. He picked up two All-America honors -- a first-team selection by the American Football Coaches Association, and a third-team pick from D3football.com.  

Preston signed as an undrafted free agent with the Tennessee Titans and played 11 games over a two-season span. In his second year as a pro, he caught two touchdown passes -- becoming the first ‘Berg player to score a touchdown in the NFL in more than 40 years.  

Following his playing days in the NFL and the Arena League, Preston embarked on a career in the film industry. Breaking into the business as a lighting technician and gaffer, he now focuses on auteur-driven film-making and documentaries with his company, SCENIK Solutions. He resides in Atlanta and has one daughter, Kiley.