LYFORD — Rio Hondo standout senior point guard Natalie Martinez signed to play college basketball Saturday.
The reigning District 32-4A most valuable player will be taking her talents to Texas Lutheran University in Seguin. She’ll play for coach Mel Dixon in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference at the NCAA Division III level and study nursing.
“It felt good to sign knowing it’s been my dream and not a lot of kids get to do it,” Martinez said. “I’ve been going to training, strength and conditioning Mondays and Wednesdays, and I do basketball Tuesdays and Thursdays. I go to McAllen, I’ve been training with Mire Chatman for about four years. I’ve been on many travel teams, too, and that’s also helped me. I felt like everything paid off, and it was a big accomplishment. It was very meaningful.”
Martinez said she sent an email to TLU while reaching out to coaches, looking for a chance to play at the next level. Dixon called her and asked for some film, and he liked what he saw. He invited her on a campus visit, and Martinez quickly felt like it was the right place to continue her promising career.
“The visit made me feel wanted, and that’s what made me want to go there. The coaches are so nice and made me feel wanted. I got to see the girls practice, and it felt like a good fit,” Martinez said.
Martinez led the Lady Bobcats to an undefeated regular season and their first playoff win since 2014. She credited this season for refining her skills and showing her some untapped potential as she took on more tasks to aid a team lacking in height. Martinez said her shooting improved quite a bit through her time at Rio Hondo.
Lady Bobcats coach Victor Sauceda said having a player like Martinez on his team made his job easier. He praised her skills and her leadership, and said she had “a big impact” on the program.
“She plays like she never gets tired. She’s got a never-ending motor and I think that’s one of her biggest assets,” Sauceda said. “She’s a great kid, great attitude and very coachable. She’s a natural point guard and led the offense and got everybody in their spots. She’s been running the show the last two years, and she did a great job. I look forward to her having success at the next level.”sing as a player at the college level by learning new techniques. She hopes she taught her younger teammates to never give up and that anything is possible with hard work.
“I think my defense and my determination (will help me in college). I don’t want to lose. I’m always wanting to win and I try hard,” Martinez said. “I definitely want to thank my parents. Also Coach Victor and my trainer. Mire Chatman, they had a lot to do with it. And of course God had everything to do with it.”
