WESLACO — According to the NCAA, about 7% (1 of 13) of high school athletes go on to play collegiate sports.
The number is even smaller for athletes who go on to compete at the Division I level, with roughly 2% (1 of 57) of high school athletes earning spots.
Two Weslaco East athletes joined the prestigious ranks of NCAA Division I athletics Thursday, with Jaisy “Piper” Caceres and Alex Solis signing their letters of intent in front of coaches, family and friends at the Weslaco East gym.
“It’s a big day and for my family,” Solis said. “Just being able to go to the next level, not just the next level but the DI level, the highest level in the nation to play baseball, it’s nerve-wracking but it’s a big step in my life. Hopefully, it’s just the next step in my career to keep playing as long as I can.”
Solis signed his letter of intent to play baseball at the University of Houston, an NCAA DI program that competes in the American Athletic Conference but will make the move to the Big 12 next fall.
Caceres, a four-year letterwinner on the Wildcats’ softball team, committed to continue playing at the University of Incarnate Word, an NCAA DI program that competes in the Southland Conference.
“The recruiting process was really hard because of COVID,” Caceres said. “A lot of schools and girls were able to get one more year and a lot of major coaching changes in a lot of schools. I just really wanted to be in San Antonio, so I was looking for a school in that area. Then obviously, I wanted to compete in Division I, the highest level. I really wanted to push for that DI spot. Late my junior year, UIW started looking at me and took me on a visit, and I just fell in love with it ever since.”
Caceres and Solis were both key in leading their respective teams to District 32-5A titles last year.
Caceres was a force offensively and defensively for the Wildcats last year, recording a .417 batting average, 28 RBIs and six home runs, and adding a .981 fielding percentage with 193 putouts on 210 total chances. Her performance earned her District 32-5A co-MVP honors.
Solis, a four-year letterwinner with the Wildcats’ baseball team, earned The Monitor’s All-Area Pitcher of the Year award last season, posting a 10-1 record as a starter with a 1.60 ERA and 113 strikeouts.
His work went beyond the mound, as he was equally dominant in the batter’s box with a .436 batting average, 44 hits, 44 runs, 22 RBIs and a team-high .533 on-base percentage.
The latest in a string of Valley athletes to sign to play at the Division I level, both Caceres and Solis urged RGV athletes to never stop chasing their dreams, no matter how big.
“Stay true to yourself because even though a lot of scouts don’t come up here, all you have to catch is one eye,” Solis said. “That can turn from one eye to another one and another one, and they’ll keep coming to see you.”
“Don’t be afraid to show what you got,” Caceres added. “Don’t be afraid to go out and get exposure, not just here in the Valley but go to bigger cities. Go to camps and talk to coaches, write emails and stay on it. That all will help you get to the next level.”
