By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer
Hanna’s Sabian Arceneaux earned the distinction of being the first Golden Eagles player to sign a letter of intent to compete at the collegiate level in 2020 when he signed Jan. 8.
Like many basketball players and others competing in winter sports, he has yet to officially begin his track season, but the Coe College signee said he plans to make his season debut at the 65th running of the annual Sams Relays on Saturday.
Arceneaux plans to compete in the high jump, the 400 and the 1,600 relay.
“I’m trying to mainly focus on (the) high jump and set (a personal record) this year,” Arceneaux said. “Hopefully I’ll make it as far as I can. … I’m excited to see how I do at my first meet and just go from there.
“I usually get my best 400 times when I’m (running in the 1,600 relay) because I have to do better for my teammates.”
He may have a little extra hop in his steps at Sam Stadium because of the challenge of a bigger field of competitors.
“I like that there’s different teams from further away, not just competing against the Brownsville area. There’s Corpus Christi teams and (teams from) deeper into the (Rio Grande Valley).”
In 2018, Sabian’s sister, Marie, signed to play softball with Mount Mercy University, a school located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, that competes in NAIA.
He eventually found that his new athletic and academic home would be a little more than a mile away from Marie’s at Coe College.
“When my sister first went (to Mount Mercy), I went around (town),” Sabian Arceneaux. “I had a campus invite (from Coe College), and walked around the campus and met with all the coaches. … I guess you could say (it was because of my sister) because Iowa is pretty far from Brownsville.”
Coe College is a private liberal arts college in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The Kohawks compete in the American Rivers Athletic Conference in NCAA Division III.
Arceneaux said his coaches at Hanna were helpful in helping him find the best athletic and academic fit for him, while reminding him that maintaining or improving his performance in his last season will only be to his benefit.
He still has one more significant decision to make.
“I’m looking at majoring in nursing or engineering,” Arceneaux said. “I’m not sure yet which one, but I’m leaning towards nursing.”