For Immediate
Release: August 7, 2000
Contact: Derek Smolik, UT Pan American SID
EDINBURG – The University of Texas-Pan American Athletic Department announced on Monday the signing of five players for the 2000-01 men’s golf season. Wayne Brock, Rodolpho Celedon, Benjamin Piper, James Aleman and Ricky Benavides will all join the Broncs for the upcoming season.
Brock is a native of Corpus Christi and attended Richard King High School, where he was a standout for Patty Robinson on the golf team.
Celedon comes to the Broncs from nearby Edinburg North High School, where he was the District Champion as a senior. He fired a final round 67 at the District 31-5A Tournament to earn medallist honors. He finished second in the District as a junior, falling in a two-man playoff. He was a three-time all-district and all-valley selection for Head Coach Joey Zamora’s team.
Piper was a four-year standout at Coronado High School in Lubbock, Texas, where he was a two-time all-district selection and a state qualifier. He was also a member of the National Honor Society, the Honor Roll and earned All-Academic recognition.
Aleman will be starting his second stint as a Bronc. He was a member of the team during the 1998-99 season, before transferring to Del Mar Community College in Corpus Christi last year. As a freshman at UTPA, he posted the third best stroke average on the team. He played in 25 rounds and had a low round of 69. His best finish was an 18th place showing at the Mary Hardin-Baylor Invitational. Aleman is a native of Corpus Christi, and attended King High School prior to his time at UTPA.
Benavides joins the program after competing for the UT-Brownsville/Texas Southmost College team last season. A native of Brownsville, Piper was a three-sport standout at James Pace High School where he was a three-time all-district selection and two-time all-valley pick.
The Broncs are scheduled to open the 2000 fall season at the Gulf Coast Collegiate Classic in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, on September 18-19.