By ROY HESS | THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD
Alejandra “Ali” Rodriguez is making the most of her college experience.
A top golfer at Hanna before graduating in 2016, Rodriguez has continued to be a standout on the golf course and in the classroom the past two years at McLennan Community College in Waco.
She earned All-America honorable mention in early May by finishing 16th individually at the National Junior College Athletic Association Women’s Tournament at Mesa, Arizona. McLennan CC finished third as a team at the national tournament after placing fourth the previous year when Rodriguez was a freshman.
Rodriguez, a business major, has concentrated on her studies as well. She carries a 4.0 grade-point average and has earned NJCAA Academic All-America honors.
“It was very exciting,” Rodriguez said of her sophomore year at McLennan CC. “I didn’t know I was going to do so well.”
It was a four-day national tournament in May and Rodriguez turned in her best score during the final round when she shot an even-par 72.
Asked how she manages to balance her schedule between the demands of golf and her studies, Rodriguez said, “I make sure I give myself time for both.
“It’s not very easy to do,” she added. “The teachers have been very helpful because we’re gone a lot (playing at tournaments). The coaches help you with your course load and schedule, too.”
The McLennan CC women’s golf team is coached by the father-son duo of Stan and Jones Mitchell. This was Jones Mitchell’s first year as the head coach. He said that actually, he and his father both share head coaching duties.
Jones Mitchell is familiar with Brownsville as he played four years (2004-08) on the University of Texas at Brownsville/Texas Southmost College golf team and later served as the team’s graduate assistant in 2009.
The McLennan CC coach says Rodriguez playing on the team holds a special significance for him.
“She was my first recruit (in 2016),” Jones Mitchell said. “It’s been neat to see her grow. She’s very mature for her age and she plays with maturity. She never puts outside pressure on herself.
“I’ve never had to worry about ‘Ali,’” he added. “I’d ask her (when we were playing in a tournament) if she was doing OK and she would tell me, ‘I’m good.’ As long as I made sure she had something to eat at a tournament, she was good. She’s the one I had to worry about the least.”
Jones Mitchell said he learned about Rodriguez through Adrian Garcia, Hanna’s golf coach.
“He made me look good (by telling me to recruit Rodriguez),” the McLennan CC coach said of Garcia.
The next stage of Rodriguez’s golf career/education begins in August when she enrolls at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, a four-year NCAA Division II school.
Garcia believes the best from his former golfer is yet to come. He won’t soon forget about ‘Ali’ as her younger sister, Alexis Rodriguez, will be playing on the Hanna golf team as a senior next school year. Alexis went to the regional tournament in April as a junior.
“I’m so proud and happy for ‘Ali,’” Garcia said. “She has worked very hard to get to this level. She will only get better.”
Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess