LOS FRESNOS — The pressure of impressing universities and colleges during the season has been lifted for Los Fresnos athletes Joshua Muñoz and Tania Rodriguez.
Muñoz, District 32-6A’s MVP for the 2022 season, joins Grayson College in Denison, Texas, and will be competing in the National Junior College Athletic Association.
“It does take a little bit of stress off me,” Muñoz said. “But I just always knew some way, somehow, that I would be able to do something like this whether it be before or after the season.”
Muñoz said he will give everything he has regardless of his status for his senior season with the Falcons.
“He is probably our No. 1 or No. 2 pitcher for us next season,” Los Fresnos head baseball coach Rene Morales said. “He is going to fill a lot of holes for us. He is a leader, captain and one of those guys you will always lean on. He is going to be our go-to-guy.”
| Los Fresnos’ Joshua Muñoz signing with Grayson College Thursday at Los Fresnos High School where he will play baseball for the school in Denison, Texas. Edward Severn |
The four-year letterman received all-state honorable mention honors as well as The Brownsville Herald’s All-Metro MVP award during his junior year. Muñoz is ready to carry the success of last season over to the upcoming season, he said.
“I got something up my sleeve for sure,” Muñoz said. “I have been working hard, day-in and day-out.”
Muñoz plans on studying kinesiology while attending Grayson College in 2023.
RODRIGUEZ JOINS OLLU
Rodriguez is the ninth college signing during the past four years for the Falcons’ softball program.
“It is a blessing,” Rodriguez said. “Not a lot of girls right now are being signed and committed to play for a team at the collegiate level. So it feels really great.”
Rodriguez, a third baseman, will join Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, where she will play softball at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics level and study biology.
Rodriguez is also happy about signing now and not having to worry about the college process during the season, and hopes to build off a season in which she hit .451 with five HRs and 33 RBIs for the Falcons.
| Los Fresnos’ Tania Rodriguez signing with Our Lady of the Lake University Thursday at Los Fresnos High School where she will play softball for the school in San Antonio. Edward Severn |
“I know a lot of the times we have girls go through the process during the season,” Los Fresnos softball head coach Matthew Molina said. “It puts a lot of pressure on them. They are trying to perform to help their status with their signing and perform well for us. I feel like this takes a lot of stress off of it, so she can just play relaxed next year. We know she will do great things for us.”
The third baseman plans on using her biology degree from OLLU to become a physician’s assistant.