San Benito High School soccer standout Carlos Zuniga (seated third from left) is shown with his varsity and college coaches as well as family while signing a letter of intent Thursday in Greyhound Gym. (Staff photos by Francisco E. Jimenez)
By FRANCISCO E. JIMENEZ
Staff Writer
reporter@sbnewspaper.com
A San Benito High School soccer player signed a letter of intent to play for Wiley College in Marshall, Texas, a private Christian institution.
Carlos Zuniga will receive a four-year scholarship to play for the Wiley College Wildcats’ soccer program in its inaugural year. Wildcats Head Soccer Coach Demitrio Hernandez was present for the signing.
Zuniga will be playing NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) Division 1 soccer. The Wiley College Wildcats compete in the Red River Athletic Conference.
“Carlos is a complete athlete. As a defender, he does a very good job. I feel like he can help us at the level that we play,” said Hernandez. “Being a first time sport this year, I was lucky to find quality players, because sometimes when you start a program it’s hard to find the right players. I’ve been very lucky.”
Hernandez has already recruited 10 other players from the Valley, including Valley View, Palmview, and all of the Brownsville schools.
“Another thing is that the Valley is full of good players. I’ve been taking players from here for the last six or seven years to play at Texas College, and they’ve all been very successful,” Hernandez said. “I won one conference championship with them, and I have graduated 19 out of 25 players from the Valley in the past six years. I know Carlos is going to be a big asset to our program.”
Zuniga’s signing to Wiley College serves as an opportunity not only for the aspiring soccer player, but for all athletes from San Benito who hope to one day play sports at the next level.
“It’s really good for our program and for himself,” said San Benito High School Boys Soccer Coach Jesus Ochoa. “I think it’s going to help us tremendously to hopefully get more universities to take a look at San Benito and recruit more players.”
Ochoa talked about what made Zuniga a standout on the field throughout his high school career.
“He (Zuniga) had a big impact because he was the tallest guy on our defense,” Ochoa said. “He helped us a lot. He has a lot of skills and technique, which are what I like in my defense. He helped the team with his leadership and good attitude.”
Zuniga, who is unsure of what he plans to study but is considering a degree in Criminal Justice, recalled what he would miss most about his high school soccer career.
“I’m going to miss my teammates, my coaches, everything all around… playing on Friday and Tuesday nights,” said Zuniga. “I want to play good in college and be able to stay there for as many years as I can. I hope to help 100 percent to my team. I want to be good for the team and make my university feel proud.”
To see this story in print, pick up a copy of the June 12 edition of the San Benito News. Or view our E-Edition by clicking here.
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