The Valero Alamo Bowl started a scholarship program in 2000 with 25 San Antonio high school students splitting $50,000 in scholarships.
For the Valero Alamo Bowl’s 25th Anniversary, over $1 million will be awarded to 130+ San Antonio high school and college students via two programs. This amount is the largest scholarship total among the 39 bowl games.
The first $557,500 will be split between the 73 scholarship winners who were recognized at the Valero Alamo Bowl Student-Athlete Scholarship Awards Luncheon presented by H-E-B on December 13 at Sunset Station.
The students included at least one winner from every San Antonio area public school and well-established private school. The scholarships were awarded on the basis of academic achievement, teacher recommendations, financial need, involvement in extracurricular activities and varsity sports as well as honors received and a personal narrative.
In addition to the luncheon, the winners will be recognized on-field during the Valero Alamo Bowl courtesy of game tickets provided by Frost.
The Bowl’s college program is called the Valero Alamo Bowl Community Partners scholarship and is funded by the Bowl and matching programs at all six of San Antonio’s four-year universities.
In its second year, the scholarship total and number of winners will be announced at the start of next college football season. This year’s program will exceed the inaugural year’s total that had 64 winners from University of the Incarnate Word, Our Lady of the Lake University, St. Mary’s University, Texas A&M–San Antonio, Trinity University and UTSA sharing $420,000.
“We are proud the 25th Anniversary Valero Alamo Bowl features our fourth straight Top 15 matchup,” said Valero Alamo Bowl Chair Mike Chapman. “Increasing our commitment to the Big 12 and Pac-12 Conferences has allowed the Valero Alamo Bowl to bring in such high ranked teams as #13 Stanford and #15 TCU to consistently deliver a $40 million average total economic impact to San Antonio. These teams coupled with support from Valero, ESPN and our other loyal partners also allowed us to grow our scholarship programs so this year deserving students from every participating San Antonio high school and four-year university can share in over $1 million in scholarship awards.”
This year’s 73 Valero Alamo Bowl Student-Athlete Scholarship recipients are:
Zane Meyer, Alamo Heights High School: Meyer earned varsity letters in water polo and served as a Project Manager and Group Leader for rocketry. He hopes to attend Rice University to become an aerospace engineer.
Carlo Garza, Antonian High School: Garza is a four-year varsity letter winner and team captain for soccer. He serves as the Vice President for his school’s Latin Club and hopes to attend Stanford University to study finance.
John Karako, Atonement Academy: Karako is a varsity-letter winner for basketball, football, track, and cross country. He serves as President of Student Council and hopes to attend Texas A&M University to study mechanical engineering.
Cassandra Acosta, Brackenridge High School: Acosta is an Academic All District member for volleyball, track, and cross country. She served as Vice President for National Honor Society and hopes to attend Columbia University to become an orthopedic surgeon.
Arthur-Dylan Palacios, Brackenridge High School: Palacios participated in his school’s academic decathlon for two years in mathematics and science. Palacios hopes to attend University of Texas at San Antonio.
Kathryn Reitman, Brandeis High School: Reitman earned varsity letters in swimming, along with First and Second Team NISD Academic All-District honors. She hopes to attend the University of Texas at Austin to pursue a career in sports psychology.
Katherine Vasko, Brennan High School: Vasko received varsity letters along with team captain and MVP honors in swimming. She hopes to attend Dallas Baptist University to study psychology and become a counselor.
James Ibanez, Business Careers High School: Ibanez is a four-year varsity letter winner in football and tennis. He hopes to attend the University of Texas at San Antonio to study computer science.
James Cantrell, Central Catholic High School: Cantrell is a four-year varsity letter winner and team captain for swimming. He’s served as a battalion commander and superior cadet for JROTC and President for National Honor Society. Cantrell hopes to attend the University of Notre Dame to study management and communications.
Austin Vargas, Central Catholic High School: Vargas received varsity letters and team captain honors for football and track. He is a member of Boy Scouts of America and National Honor Society, and hopes to attend the University of Texas at Austin to study electrical engineering.
Mary Buchman, Clark High School: Buchman is a varsity-letter winner and team captain for volleyball and was named to the NISD All Tournament team. She served as President for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and was a member of the Latin National Honor Society for four years. Buchman hopes to attend Texas A&M University to become a veterinarian.
Caitlin Lorenz, Clark High School: Lorenz earned varsity letters for basketball, along with Second Team All-District and First Team Academic All-District honors. Lorenz is an AP Scholar with Distinction and hopes to attend Washington University to study biology.
Haley Beach, Communications Arts High School: Beach was a three-year first team academic all-district member for softball. She won the National Spanish Exam Bronze Award in the Spanish National Honor Society. Beach hopes to attend Texas A&M University to become an orthodontist.
Peyton Liebler, Cornerstone Christian High School: Liebler earned varsity letters for basketball and golf. Liebler served as President and Vice President of Student Council and hopes to attend Texas A&M University to study computer science.
Benjamin Montes, East Central High School: Montes earned varsity letters in cross country and swimming and was an Academic All-District and Regional Qualifier in swimming. He plays clarinet in the school band and was a distance runner for track and field, and hopes to attend the University of Texas at Austin.
Kyra Thomas, Edison High School: Thomas earned varsity letters for numerous school sports. She served as a United Nations Representative in Model United Nations and worked as a research lab assistant at UT Health Science Center. She hopes to attend Rice University to study pre-med.
Tanner Ahoyt, Edison High School: Ahoyt was team captain for football and track, and also played on the golf team. He hopes to attend Texas State University to become a biologist.
Sierra Gonzales, Fox Tech High School: Gonzales is a four-year varsity letter winner and team captain for track and cross country, earning All-State Team honors and winning district champion for both sports. She was also a district champion in swimming. Gonzales hopes to attend Stanford University to study sports medicine.
Adrianne Moreno, Fox Tech High School: Moreno earned varsity letters in swimming and diving and participated in his school’s academic decathlons. Moreno hopes to attend Johns Hopkins University to become a plastic surgeon.
Angel Leal, Harlandale High School: Leal received varsity letters for cycling and played saxophone in the jazz and marching band. Leal hopes to attend the University of Texas at Austin to study Business and pursue a career in finance.
Sophia Xu, Health Careers High School: Xu received varsity letters for three years and was team captain for tennis. She served as President for the Red Cross Club for two years and hopes to attend Columbia University to become a physician.
Katelyn Harris, Highlands High School: Harris is a member of Future Farmers of America. She hopes to attend the University of Texas at Austin to study psychology.
Sarah LaFuente, Holy Cross of San Antonio: LaFuente is team captain for softball and has earned First Team All-State and First Team All-District honors. She served as President of National Honor Society and hopes to attend Texas A&M University to become a doctor.
Hilaire Garza, Incarnate Word High School: Garza received varsity letters for volleyball and serves as co-captain of the Incarnate Word Robotics Club. She hopes to attend the California Institute of Technology to study biomedical engineering.
Julia Singer, International School of the Americas: Singer is a four-year varsity letter winner for tennis and is the founder and president of her school’s computer coding club. She is a member of Girl Scouts of America and President of her school’s Science Fair Club. Singer hopes to attend Trinity University to study business.
Nimbe Vermeer, James Madison High School: Vermeer is a three-time varsity letter winner and team captain for tennis. Vermeer serves as the founder and president for Interact Club and secretary for the Red Cross Club. Vermeer hopes to attend Princeton University to study international relations.
Alyssa Loredo, Jefferson High School: Loredo received varsity letters for softball and basketball. She hopes to attend Sam Houston State University and intends to study Forensic Science.
Luke Weston, John Jay High School: Weston earned varsity letters and co-captain honors for swimming and water polo. He serves as Engineering Captain for the John Jay Robotics Club, and hopes to attend Rice University to study electrical engineering.
Maya Hammer, John Paul Stevens High School: Hammer earned varsity letters for dance and worked with her school’s theatre production. She hopes to attend the University of California Los Angeles to study biology and theatre arts.
Alyssa Soderdahl, Johnson High School: Soderdahl is a four-year varsity letter winner and team captain for tennis, earned Most Valuable Long Distance Runner honors in track and qualified for the regional team three times. She hopes to attend Texas A&M University to become a veterinarian.
Alexa Milstein, Judson High School: Milstein is a four-year varsity letter winner for cross country. She is also a member of Future Farmers of America and National Honor Society and hopes to attend Colorado School of Mines to study petroleum engineering.
Serena McFarland, Judson Early College Academy: McFarland is a three-year varsity letter winner for tennis. She serves as Treasurer for her school’s National Honor Society and hopes to attend the University of Houston to study pre-veterinary medicine.
Jasmine Whelan, Karen Wagner High School: Whelan was vice president of her school’s orchestra and won the Director’s Award. She’s been involved in dance for 14 years and hopes to attend Yale University and eventually go to optometry school.
Miranda Gutierrez, Kennedy High School: Gutierrez served as drum major and section leader for her school’s band, which earned a Division 1 rating. She served as President and Secretary for the Sexuality and Gender Awareness Club and hopes to attend the University of California at Berkeley to study political science and pre-law.
Adithya Mummidi, Keystone School: Mummidi earned varsity letters for soccer and basketball. He is in Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America and has won several state-wide awards and honors in math and science. Mummidi hopes to attend the University of Pennsylvania to study finance.
Cristian Avalos, Lanier High School: Avalos received varsity letters for tennis and was a Deputy Chief for the Lanier Police Explorers for three years. Avalos hopes to attend Sam Houston State University to study Computer Science and Criminal Justice.
Yliana Beck, Luther Burbank High School: Beck was a member of the drumline in her school’s marching band and served as Vice President for National Honor Society. She was a delegate in the Model United Nations for three years and hopes to attend Dartmouth College to become a neurologist.
Phoebe Lovins, Lutheran High School: Lovins earned varsity letters for soccer, track and cross country. She served as Vice President and Executive Treasurer on the student council during her junior and senior years. She hopes to attend Southern Methodist University to study advertising and pursue a career in graphic design.
Kristen Zuehl, MacArthur High School: Zuehl received varsity letters along with captain and Player of the Year honors for softball. She is a member of her school’s orchestra and National Honor Society, and hopes to attend Tarleton State University to study nursing.
Kevin Randeniya, Marshall High School: Randeniya earned varsity letters for swimming and served as President for the Social Studies National Honor Society and Vice President for his school’s Ultimate Frisbee Club. He hopes to attend the University of Texas at Austin and join the military.
Roberto Soto, McCollum High School: Soto was a member of the theatre production for three years and was Student Council President. Soto hopes to attend New York University to study acting and theatre arts and hopes to become an actor.
Kevin Reyes, Memorial High School: Reyes was section leader for his school’s marching band and was a member of his school’s S.T.E.M. Robotics club. He hopes to attend Texas A&M University to study mechanical engineering.
Pedro Uribe Stevens, New Braunfels High School: Uribe Stevens is a three-time varsity letter winner for soccer and earned Second Team All-District honorable mentions twice. He hopes to attend New York University to study Dramatic Arts and become an actor.
Treshayla Brown, O’Connor High School: Brown is a four-year varsity letter winner for soccer, earning an all-district honorable mention and all-district second team honors. She was captain for her Future Farmers of America team that won second at state. She hopes to attend the University of Texas at Austin to become a pediatric physician.
Dang Dang, Oliver Wendell Holmes High School: Dang was a member of the tennis team and served as President for the Health Occupation Students of America. He hopes to attend Rice University to become a bioengineer.
Emily Brieno, Oliver Wendell Holmes High School: Brieno is a four-year varsity letter winner for golf and has been a Girl Scouts member for 12 years. She played violin for her school orchestra and earned varsity letters from 2017-2018. She hopes to attend Texas A&M University to study mechanical engineering.
Pamela Callahan, Providence High School: Callahan is a two-year varsity letter winner for volleyball. Callahan plans to attend St. Mary’s University to study general business and mechanical engineering.
Mariah Cathro, Randolph High School: Cathro is a four-year varsity letter winner for track, three-year varsity letter winner for cross country, and two-year varsity letter winner for volleyball. She also earned varsity letters in athletic training and hopes to attend the University of Texas at Austin to study biology and pre-med.
Kristin Aoki, Robert E. Lee High School: Aoki is a three-year varsity letter winner for golf. She served as President for National Honor Society and a principal violist for the school orchestra. Aoki hopes to attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute to study mechanical engineering.
Makayla Cunningham, Robert G. Cole High School: Cunningham earned varsity letters for volleyball and was a first team All District Selection. She participated in the French National Honor Society for two years and hopes to attend the University of Texas at San Antonio to study nursing.
Cole Cunov, Ronald Reagan High School: Cunov received varsity letters for football and track. He hopes to attend the University of Texas at Austin to study Business-Finance and become a financial advisor.
Daniel Naiem, Ronald Reagan High School: Naiem earned varsity letters for track and participated in Model United Nations. He hopes to attend the University of Texas at Austin to study computer science and biology.
Cooper Wineberg, Roosevelt High School: Wineberg received varsity letters for golf and cross country. He serves as Regional and Chapter Officer of the Technology Student Association and hopes to attend Princeton University to study applied mathematics.
Spencer Nastala, Saint Mary’s Hall: Nastala received varsity letters and team captain honors for baseball. He serves as Senior Class President and hopes to attend Johns Hopkins University to study business.
Brandy Vargas, Sam Houston High School: Vargas earned varsity letters for ROTC and participated in her school’s academic decathlon for three years. Vargas hopes to attend Middlebury College to become an elementary teacher.
Manuel Morales, Samuel Clemens High School: Morales is a four-year varsity letter winner for soccer and earned 2017 All-District Honorable Mention honors. He also competed in UIL Academic Competitions for math, spelling, and vocabulary. Morales hopes to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to become a research scientist.
Rachel Hantz, San Antonio Christian High School: Hantz earned varsity letters for volleyball and is Senior Treasurer of Student Council. She hopes to attend Harvard University to become a neurologist or neurosurgeon.
Logan Garner, Smithson Valley – Spring Branch: Garner is a team captain for cross country and has been on the track team for three years. He hopes to attend Rice University to study business.
Cesar Gonzalez, Somerset High School: Gonzalez was on the track, football, and basketball team and served as senior class Treasurer. He hopes to attend the University of Texas at Austin to study architectural engineering.
Claudia Medellin, South San Antonio High School: Medellin was a drum major and section leader for her high school band. She was a member of the Robotics club and hopes to attend the Georgia Institute of Technology to study industrial engineering.
Loretta Nieto, Southside High School: Nieto served as captain and co-captain for soccer and cross country and was a member of the dance team for four years. She hopes to attend the University of Texas at Austin to study nursing.
Natalie Herrera-Diaz, Southside High School: Herrera-Diaz earned varsity letters for cross country, basketball, and track. She served as team captain for cross country and Robotics and is a National Hispanic Merit Scholar. Herrera-Diaz hopes to attend the University of Texas at San Antonio to study biomedical engineering or political science.
Eugenio Virrey, Southwest High School: Virrey is a four-year varsity letter winner, team captain and two-time All District for golf. Virrey was the lead guitarist of the mariachi club and hopes to attend the University of Texas at Arlington to study pre-medicine.
Marina Borrego, St. Anthony Catholic High School: Borrego served as Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel for dance team and earned Dancer of the Year honors. Borrego hopes to attend the University of Texas at Austin to become a cardiologist.
Brianna Martin, Steele High School: Martin is a member of her school’s band and law club. She is involved with the Schertz United Methodist youth group to help the community, and hopes to attend Texas State University to study biology.
Isabelle Shamblin, Taft High School: Shamblin earned varsity letters and team captain honors for cross country and track. She served as Student Council Vice President and hopes to attend Stephen F. Austin State University to become a registered dietitian.
Steven Tijerna, The Christian School at Castle Hills: Tijerna earned varsity letters and served as team captain for football. He hopes to attend Baylor University to study athletic training and sports medicine.
Ryan Heron, The Winston School: Heron earned varsity letters and is team captain for football. He is an Eagle Scout for the Boy Scouts of America and is a member of National Honor Society and the Robotics Club. Heron hopes to attend Texas A&M University at Galveston to study marine biology.
Keith Rupe, TMI- The Episcopal School of Texas: Rupe earned varsity letters and team captain honors for soccer and track, along with Academic All-State honors for both sports. He hopes to attend Rhodes College to study social sciences or national sciences.
Catherine Oakes, Warren High School: Oakes was a three-year varsity water polo letter winner and team captain for swimming and water polo. Oakes was also a member of orchestra and hopes to attend St. Mary’s University to study animal science.
Erik Medina, Warren High School: Medina received varsity letters and team captain honors for football. He’s a member of Student Council and National Honor Society and hopes to attend Texas A&M University to become a pharmacist.
Grant Fritzsche, Winston Churchill High School: Fritzsche earned varsity letters for basketball and earned All-District Athletic Academic Team honors. He was a member of the ping pong and fishing club, and hopes to attend Vanderbilt University to study chemical engineering.
Rachel Pina, Young Women’s Leadership Academy: Pina received varsity letters for track and field and played basketball for two years. She hopes to attend the University of Texas at San Antonio to study public health and optometry.
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