By EDWARD SEVERN, Staff Writer
LOS FRESNOS — Los Fresnos Falcons cross country athlete Gabriel Longoria will be running in the hills of Schreiner University next fall.
“I am really excited and grateful for the opportunity,” Longoria said Wednesday at a signing ceremony. “The opportunity came up, and I had to take it. I want to thank God because I was not really sure if I was going to run.”
Longoria was accepted into the school academically. After talking to the coach and visiting the campus, Longoria knew that it was the right place for him.
“Not a lot of people from the (Rio Grande) Valley get recruited,” Longoria said. “I am glad that I can show my skills and show that the Valley does have athletes and can compete.”
It was either the military or college for the long-distance runner, coaches and parents said. Longoria chose to join the cross country team.
“When Gabriel first came to me his freshman year he was very shy and still is, but always willing to work hard and do whatever I ask him to do,” Los Fresnos cross country coach Dawn Aguilar-Snyder said. “It is not easy to run cross country, and he gave every effort.”
Aguilar-Snyder thinks Longoria will do well at the next level because of his work ethic. Aguilar-Snyder is a neighbor of Longoria and often saw him running around the neighborhood.
“He puts in his miles,” said his mother, Esmeralda Longoria. “He gets together with his friends to run, and even during COVID they put in miles together, running around Los Fresnos. They would come in muddy, but it was awesome.”
Longoria plans on studying sports science at Schreiner.
“So proud,” said his father, Joe Longoria. “It started back in elementary when he ran for his club. We saw his potential then, but really proud of him for everything that he has accomplished.”