For Immediate Release: Wednesday, June 25, 2003
Contact: Dave Geringer, UTPA Sports Information Director, (956) 381-2240

HOFFMAN SIGNS WITH BRONCS

EDINBURG, TX-The University of Texas-Pan American's baseball team has signed its fourth recruit this spring, and its ninth recruit overall.

Infielder Austin Hoffman of Sugar Land, Texas and Kempner High School will join the Broncs this fall. He will enter UTPA as a freshman, with four years of eligibility.

Hoffman earned All District 20-5A honors last season while seeing action and both second base and at third base. He led the Cougars in five offensive categories, batting .377 with an on-base percentage of .417 and a slugging percentage of .662. He had 29 hits, scored 21 runs, and had four home runs and 20 runs batted in. Hoffman was also team captain.

Hoffman also earned All-District honors as both a sophomore and a junior, and hit .397 as a freshman while playing on the sophomore team. He is currently playing for the Columbia Angels Select Team, and has played at the Perfect Game Wood Bat Championships, the USA Baseball Junior Olympics, the Triple Crown World Series, and the Amateur Athletic Union World Series.

A talented student-athlete, Hoffman has a 3.0 grade point average, and played football for three seasons at Kempner, seeing action as a junior at both quarterback and at outside linebacker.

"I'm pleased that we signed Austin," said UTPA Head Coach Willie Gawlik. "He's a hard worker, he plays aggressively, and he loves to win. Austin will be a good solid player for us. He can play either second or third base and will help our infield depth."

Hoffman joins outfielder Alfred Padron of Alvin Community College and Pasadena, Texas, pitcher Nick Gregory of Angelina Junior College and Mesquite, Texas, Philip Rodriguez of Edinburg North High School and Edinburg, Texas, Zach Smith of Sanger High School in Sanger, Texas, Ricky Glazier of Eastfield College in Mesquite, Texas, Ryan Grimet of Pearland High School in Pearland, Texas, Brian Ballew of Channelview High School in Channelview, Texas, and Ryne Foster of Cedar Park High School in Cedar Park, Texas in joining Texas-Pan American for next fall.

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