By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer
HARLINGEN — The Harlingen South Lady Hawks have a phrase on a T-shirt that reads “be remembered, not forgotten.”
Kytana Muniz did what she needed to bring that goal to fruition.
As a four-year letterwinner, Muniz helped the Lady Hawks reach the Class 6A Region IV semifinal round twice and the quarterfinal round once. She played all over the diamond and became a cornerstone for the team, South coach Elias Martinez said.
In March, Muniz grew her legacy as she signed to play softball for Texas A&M University-Kingsville in the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference.
“It was a very exciting feeling. I was relieved because I had been working toward that since about eighth grade,” Muniz said. “(I’m looking forward to) meeting new people and making new friends, and getting to play softball for another four years and hopefully help keep them at the top of the nation.”
Muniz’s career on the field began when she was just 2 years old. She played baseball in her early years, but after picking up softball at the age of 6 she fell in love with the game. Muniz was determined to play college softball, and before she played a second of varsity ball she was going to showcases across the state to get exposure to college coaches.
“I worked very hard for it. I did a lot of showcases. I started doing them in seventh grade and people would tell my mom that she was crazy because I was so young, but the coaches would tell me it was good to be starting at a young age and get my name out there early instead of waiting until my sophomore or junior year when everyone was already recruited,” Muniz said.
Muniz consistently attended the Javelinas’ softball camps and has long appreciated the way coach Craig Nicholson runs the program. Her familiarity with the staff and the facilities were contributing factors in deciding to call Kingsville home.
But the decision wasn’t just about athletics for Muniz. She wants to be an industrial hygienist, and the top-notch engineering program at TAMUK is the primary reason she’s going to be a Javelinas athlete. Muniz will be studying environmental engineering in the fall.
Martinez thinks his now former player will be just as strong of an asset for TAMUK as she was for the Lady Hawks. He praised her growth and maturity, and said she was a strong leader and role model for her younger teammates.
“It was an honor and a privilege to coach her, and she’s going to be very hard to replace. All of this senior class left a great legacy, and they’re going to be missed,” Martinez said. “She brings a great work ethic, always ready to play and selling out, never took a play off, and she’s always ready to go. Because of her work ethic, her strong character, her resilience, she became a better player and now gets to compete at the next level. It’s a great opportunity for her and a great accomplishment.”