For Immediate Release:
August 8, 2000
Contact: Derek Smolik, UT Pan American SID
EDINBURG The University of Texas-Pan American Track and Field program announced on Tuesday the signing of Edinburg, native Isaac Ybarra to a letter of intent for the 2000-01 academic year.
Ybarra, who attended Sharyland High School in Mission the last four years, was a standout in both football and track and field for the Rattlers. In track and field Ybarra was an all-district and all-valley selection in both the shot put and discus. He finished third in the region in the discus and was an alternate for the state meet in the discus. He also took second place in the district meet in the discus.
Ybarra has personal bests of 53 4 Ό in the shot put and 160 1 in the discus. His shot put best is a Sharyland High School Record. During the 2000 track and field season he won numerous individual titles, including the Cougar Relay Shot and Discus titles, McAllen High School Shot Put title, Eagle Relays Shot and Discus titles and the Steve Stark Invitational Shot and Discus titles.
For the Sharyland Football Team, Ybarra was a two-time all-district selection, including a first team selection in 1999. He was also named to the all-area team during the 1999 season.
Isaac
will add depth to the throws, said Head Coach Dan
Laufer. We lost two of the best throwers in UTPA history last
year, in Gonzalo Gonzalez and Dawne Hill. It is an area that needs
improvement and Isaac will help us, in both the shot and the discus. We
are excited to have another local athlete joining our program.
As concerned about his work in the classroom as on the track, Ybarra was a Highest Honors Graduate from SHS. He was also a Texas Scholar athlete.
Ybarra is the ninth signee by the cross-country and track programs so far this spring. He joins previous track and field signees Rashaad Ben, Valerie Summa, April Hipolito, Angelica Garza, Michael Sperry, Phillip Wilhelmsson, Andrea Cartwright and Lovie Mathis, who have already joined the Broncs and Lady Broncs for the 2000-01 season.