Five Marshall female athletes signed to play at the college level. Getting the opportunity are (front row, from left) Mel Padilla (Incarnate Word), Nicki Morfin (Incarnate Word), second row Samantha Cole (UT El Paso), Morgan Martin (Sterling College) and jordan Alvarado (St. Mary's). Photo by Pat Turner

By Pat Turner

However, the Lady Rams may have taken that status to a higher level this year as five athletes are going to the next tier.

Incarnate Word landed softball player Mel Padilla and volleyball player Nicki Morfin.

Soccer has the most representatives with Samantha Cole going to University of Texas-El Paso, Morgan Martin choosing Sterling College (Kan.) and Jordan Alvarado heading to St, Mary’s.

“We’re proud of all of them,” Marshall assistant athletic coordinator and softball coach Bobbie Jo Rivera said. “This is a good group. As far as I know, this is the most we have ever had sign in one year.”

Although the five may be going to various colleges and played different sports, they all share one thing in common. All of them were on varsity as freshmen and grew into quality athletes.

Now, they are ready to test their skills in college.

For the two Incarnate Word signees and Alvarado, it is a chance to play at home.

They know it is going to be a challenge, but they believe their experience in high school will benefit them greatly.

Padilla helped Marshall to the Class 5A softball playoffs all four years. This season was her best as she batted .424.

“I just gave it my all this year,” Padilla said. “I knew it was my senior year, so I did everything I could to make it a good year. I’m ready for college. This is something I have always worked for since I started playing softball. Going to the playoffs here helped me. I know what it takes to prepare. I know the upper level teams in college will be working for the same thing I am.”

For Morfin, playing at Incarnate Word will also be a family affair since her brother (Thomas Salas) plays baseball for the Cardinals.

However, the Marshall volleyball player also wants to continue the success she enjoyed with the Lady Rams to Incarnate Word. She expects to feel right at home since the Cardinals are coming off a Heartland Conference championship season.

“I met the girls and really liked them,” Morfin said. “The coaches are really good. I want to go in there and help my freshman year. We should have a good year, because there’s a lot of players coming back.”

Alvarado has been familiar with St. Mary’s program a long time. She attended the Rattlers’ summer soccer camps ever since she was in eighth grade. She was impressed with the coaches and liked the overall atmosphere.

However, she was even happier to learn the Rattlers were impressed with her ability.

Alvarado was a standout defender at Marshall, but there is a chance she could move to outside midfielder in college.

“It will be different, but I made a lot of runs on the outside so it won’t be that different,” Alvarado said. “I’m just looking forward to playing. We have a good freshman class coming in and I want to help anyway I can.

“I think I will feel comfortable. I haven’t met all the freshmen coming, but I have worked out with the underclassmen and got to know them.”

Although UTEP is a longer distance from San Antonio than Incarnate Word or St. Mary’s, Cole felt right at home.

“It will be different playing on a team with different players, but the team is so close knit,” Cole said. “They are really nice. I had a great time here at Marshall. We had the two district championships and I’m hoping we can do the same at UTEP.”

Martin is the only athlete going out of state, but she also found many things to her liking about the NAIA school.

“It is a small school and I like that,” Martin said. “Most of the students are athletes, so I will feel comfortable there. It’s exciting to know I will be playing at the next level.

“This year was the most amazing year,” Martin said. “I had to recover from knee injury to get back to where I was and become a starter again. Winning another district championship and going to the playoffs again made it a great year.”