Eastlake High School celebrated three outstanding student-athletes who signed letters of intent to play the sport of their choice in college on Jan. 19 in the school’s gymnasium.
Family and friends cheered as Falcon Early College seniors Danica Guzman, Andrea Apodaca, and Tomi Parham received athletic scholarships, allowing them to continue their education at their respective colleges or universities and compete at the collegiate level.
Danica Guzman, a goalie for the girls’ soccer team, signed her letter of intent with the University of Texas at El Paso, where she plans to study kinesiology.
Guzman was named 2020-21 District 1-6A Newcomer of the Year and she earned a 2021-22 District 1-6A Honorable Mention. She is a National Honor Society member and a top 10% student.
“It’s just a nice opportunity to be able to play at a Division 1 program, which I’m very excited to do,” Guzman said. “It’s always been my dream to play at a Division 1 school.”
Andrea Apodaca, a softball utility player, signed her letter of intent with Sul Ross State University, where she expects to study kinesiology.
Apodaca is a four-year varsity letterman. She earned First Team All-District and is in the top 10% of her class.
“It’s a very good feeling,” Apodaca said. “It’s something that I’ve been waiting for my past four years. It’s super exciting to know that I’m going to be at Sul Ross in Alpine with former (Eastlake) players who came here but are now over there. I’m just excited for what’s to come.”
Tomi Parham, a first-base softball catcher, signed her letter of intent with the University of the Southwest, where she plans to study biology.
Parham is a member of the All-District Academic Team and All-District Athletic Team. She is a member of Eastlake’s Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) and Biomedical Science programs. “I am extremely grateful to be able to continue my academic and athletic career at the next level,” Parham said. “Anything is possible with hard work and determination. I want to thank everyone who helped me get to this point.”