Four San Marcos athletes ink LOIs on National Signing Day

Four college-bound athletes took the stage at the Performing Arts Center inside San Marcos High School early Wednesday morning to ink their letters of intent for National Signing Day.

Angelina Sotelo, a four-year letterman for the girls’ basketball team, signed with Texas Luthern University. Sotelo liked that TLU is a very good academic school and was excited by the chance to play for head coach Troy Patterson in Seguin.

“It means a lot,” Sotelo said. “This is a really big step in my future and this journey. And I just can't wait … I mean, it's only the start.”

Wednesday was a day Kayleigh Dorsey had been waiting a long time for. She signed to join Central Christian College of Kansas’ women’s golf team. She’d taken a visit to the school in McPherson, Kan., and fell in love with the smaller-sized campus and family atmosphere.

“I've honestly been dreaming about this day for as long as I can remember. I've always seen people go up (on the stage) and do this. And I just want it to be a part of that as well,” Dorsey said. “It just felt really good. It felt like I was accomplishing everything I wanted to.”

Avery Pacheco was originally involved in competitive cheerleading, but became interested in the Diamond Line drill team in middle school. On Wednesday, she became the first dancer at San Marcos to sign to a college team, signing with Tarleton State after taking a visit in Stephenville.

“(It's) a great honor because I have worked my whole life for this,” Pacheco said. “And my team being here also meant a lot to me because my team means everything to me. They're the best team I could ever ask for. And I don't know, it just meant a lot because it's something I've never done before. I didn't think it would ever happen for me and I'm glad I get to continue my journey.”

Jacob Pinkston signed with Southern Virginia, a school in Buena Vista, Va., after anchoring the San Marcos offensive line en route to a playoff appearance. Pinkston took a liking to the school’s multimedia program and head coach Edwin Mulitalo, a Super Bowl-winning former NFL player for the Baltimore Ravens and Detroit Lions.

“I've seen former teammates sign and I'm proud of them and I wanted to be like them,” Pinkston said. “(Southern Virginia was) really good to me. And so I wanted to be good to them.”

Rattlers athletic director John Walsh was proud of the group’s accomplishments.

“They’re all ambassadors of San Marcos,” Walsh said. “Signing Day’s about honoring the athletes and Signing Day’s about showing appreciation to the people who helped these athletes.”