FC Cincinnati’s Nick Hagglund Scores New Nuxhall Foundation Character Card

FAIRFIELD, OH (February 26, 2026)— The orange and blue are heading back to the pitch for the 2026 season; and a fan-favorite, homegrown star will be pitching good character for The Nuxhall Foundation.

FC Cincinnati’s Nick Hagglund, a hometown hero who was a student athlete at both Lakota West High School and Xavier University, is the newest athlete to be featured in the Character Card collection produced by The Nuxhall Foundation. Hagglund is the first Major League Soccer (MLS) star to receive a Nuxhall Foundation Character Card—an initiative developed to pitch good character traits to young generations of students, athletes, and future leaders.

“It’s an absolute honor to be featured in a Character Card for The Nuxhall Foundation,” says Hagglund. “Having grown up in Cincinnati and knowing the legacy of Joe Nuxhall in our town, not just as a player, but as a role model, it feels incredibly special to be recognized by his foundation.”

Hagglund joins an impressive list of athletes and local celebrities to be featured in the Nuxhall Character Card series, including

• Cincinnati Reds Hall of Famer “The Mayor” Sean Casey

• Cincinnati Reds ace Hunter Greene

• Los Angeles Angels reliever and Moeller high school alum Brent Suter

• Local 12’s Sheila Gray

• Cincinnati Reds all-star infielder Elly De La Cruz

• Middletown High School Alum and Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Kyle Schwarber

• Cincinnati Reds batboy Teddy Kremer

• Franklin High School star and Los Angeles Lakers point guard Luke Kennard

Instead of statistics, the reverse side of each Character Card features a special character-focused message from the athlete or celebrity. Hagglund’s personally-crafted message encourages children to be the best, most authentic version of themselves by modeling good character traits like compassion, resilience, and enthusiasm.

“Sports Cards are often sought out because of the incredible achievements by athletes,” says Hagglund. “Being a part of a sports card that highlights the character traits of the person behind the stats feels like an important pulling back of the curtain for young athletes. For me, one’s character is the most vital part of one’s self. Character is the foundation of who you are and what you are about, especially when the going gets tough. It precedes you, it accompanies you through every journey, and it leaves a lasting impression on others around you.”

The Nuxhall Character Card series started as a central project for The Joe Nuxhall Character Education Fund with Casey’s card in 2004. The cards are given to youth sports participants and elementary schoolers at various programs all across the country to help stress the importance of developing good character traits like determination, courage, self-discipline, sportsmanship, and more. To date, more than 200,000 cards have been distributed all across the United States.

“When I watch Nick, I see a young competitor who is endlessly optimistic and never lets any challenge stand in his way—and I think he’s the kind of community servant and role model that my dad would have loved to watch,” says Kim Nuxhall, President and Board Chairman of The Nuxhall Foundation. “Watching Nick bounce back from his injury to shine on the pitch time and again proved to me why we should share his story through a Character Card. When it comes to character, Nick Hagglund is the real deal.”

Nuxhall developed the Character Card initiative near the end of his 32-year career as an elementary physical education teacher in the Fairfield City School District, and he has continued the program to create a tool for teachers, coaches, and parents to talk to the children in their lives about the importance of good character.

“We know that children look up to athletes and local celebrities and want to be like them in so many ways,” says Nuxhall. “Through the Character Card program, we hope to show these future leaders the real ingredients that have led those role models to successful lives—traits like integrity, focus, grit, compassion, and empathy. Those traits are what my Dad valued most, and they helped him to lead a life of impact throughout his career, and we are so lucky to see good people in our community like Nick Hagglund carrying on that tradition.”

Hagglund, a 13-year MLS veteran, is a fan-favorite anytime FC Cincinnati takes to the pitch at TQL Stadium, often staying out after the conclusion of each match to high five fans, take photos, and sign autographs. A world-class defender for the orange and blue, Hagglund has also been a passionate and engaged supporter of the special needs community, recently serving as the Honorary Chair for Ohio Special Olympics’ Polar Plunge.

During the 2024 season, in an incredible story of resilience, Hagglund returned to the pitch after a broken leg and high ankle sprain that could have ended his career. Less than a year after being carted off the field, “The Cincinnati Kid” returned to play with his hometown team, showcasing the importance of hard work, persistence, determination, and tenacity. Hagglund suffered from two broken ribs and a collapsed lung during the 2025 campaign, but fought his way back to the pitch and was eventually named the 2025 MLS Comeback Player of the Year (the first FC Cincinnati player to win this honor). Hagglund has started the 2026 campaign on a strong foot, netting a goal in the team’s opening day match at TQL Stadium.

Nuxhall felt that Hagglund was a natural choice to be the first MLS player to be featured on a card.

“My Dad never lost sight of how lucky he was to receive so much support and love from Cincinnati and the surrounding communities,” says Nuxhall of his father. “In so many ways, seeing how Nick Hagglund embraces his role as an ambassador for our city and uses his platform to do so much good for others reminds me of my Dad. And watching him interact with his fan base with such appreciation and sincerity is refreshing in a world that needs role models for humility and kindness.”

For Hagglund, having grown up in Cincinnati, having a connection to The Ole Lefthander through this initiative is special.

“My hope as an athlete in Cincinnati is to not only inspire with my play on the field, but, more importantly, inspire young kids to be the best version of themselves off the field,” says the soccer star. “I am truly grateful for The Nuxhall Foundation for choosing to create a Nick Hagglund Character Card.”

If you have a youth sports team or program that you would like to receive Nuxhall Foundation Character Cards, please contact Nuxhall Foundation Executive Director Tyler Bradshaw at info@nuxhallmiracleleague.org.

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About The Nuxhall Foundation

The Nuxhall Foundation is the legacy foundation for former Major League Baseball pitcher and longtime Cincinnati Reds broadcaster, the late Joe Nuxhall. The Nuxhall Foundation carries forward three important legacy projects. A central project of The Nuxhall Foundation is The Joe Nuxhall Miracle League Fields—an entirely accessible baseball and recreational facility where every player with every challenge gets every chance to play. Historically, nearly 300 athletes with physical and developmental disabilities aged 4 to 80 participate in programs at the Miracle League Fields. The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Scholarship (in conjunction with the Fairfield Community Foundation) provides more than $40,000 per year in scholarship money to student athletes at all 14 Butler County high schools. Very soon, the Joe Nuxhall Memorial Scholarship will cross the million-dollar mark in scholarship money awarded. The Joe Nuxhall Character Education Fund pitches good character to young leaders throughout Greater Cincinnati by delivering and supporting programs that stress the importance of integrity, humility, respect, and kindness. In 2024, The Nuxhall Foundation launched a $12 million capital campaign to construct The Hope Center, a year-round recreational facility for athletes with special needs that will help to create the world's most comprehensive athletic campus for individuals with disabilities.

For more information, visit http://www.nuxhallmiracleleague.org.

For all media inquiries or to schedule an appearance, please contact:

Tyler Bradshaw

(513) 839-6164

tyler@nuxhallmiracleleague.org 

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