St. Thomas Aquinas senior Manny Velasquez becomes the sixth signee for UNF's boys distance squad. Velasquez was fourth at the 4A Cross Country Finals in 2013 and was an instrumental part of the Raiders' team title. He has personal bests of 4:31.38 (1600m), 9:46.39 (3200m), and 15:33 (5k). See why he chose the Ospreys and what he is looking forward to most about the future!
What was the recruiting process like for you?
The recruiting process was very inspiring and fun but at the same time it was very stressful. I went on a lot of college visits and had the opportunity to speak with a lot of great coaches. I first visited UNF after the Mountain Dew Invitational back in September. That is the first time I met with assistant Coach Kindt. He basically told me a little about their program and discussed the vision they had for the upcoming season.
Where else did you consider?
I was also considering Florida Gulf Coast, USF, The University of Alabama, UNC Charlotte, Auburn, and Ole Miss. I went to visit all these schools and I was surprised by how beautiful and different they all were. I was very excited to actually see a little of what college life would be like.
Why in the end did you choose UNF?
When I went on my official visit to UNF I felt very comfortable, not only with the school’s superb campus but with the team and coaches. I had a chance to show off my volleyball skills in a game with the boys and girls distance team. They were all very nice and welcoming. I had a great time with them and felt right at home. UNF has an excellent business program which is what I plan on studying. The Jacksonville area is beautiful and there are plenty of things to do and plenty of places to eat, which is a must for me. Coach Pigg talked about how the school is in a middle distance runners dream area. There are plenty of trails in and around the school and the team runs on the nearby beach for their long runs on Saturdays. The weather in Jacksonville seems perfect. Not too cold in the winter, but still the typical Sunshine State hot weather in the summer. As I visited all these colleges I would always ask myself one question “ can I see myself here for the next four years?” After I left the UNF campus I could definitely imagine myself being a student athlete there.
Talk about the class they have coming in and how you add to it. They signed some of the top distance runners in the state this year.
I considered this when looking at UNF. The future looks really bright in cross country and track and I felt that I could add to that. Me and the five other incoming freshman (Tyler Stahl, Tyler Bennett, Wesley Norton, Travis Nichols, and Nick Morken) actually have a team group chat already and it's great to already get to know them. I’ve raced against most of them, but have not actually met any of them in person yet. They seem like a bunch of goofballs that know how to have a good time so im looking forward to working hard and spending the next few years with them. As I looked at other schools with bigger running programs, I knew I had made the right decision and I felt confident that I would be part of the next great big thing. With the talent that UNF already has and this group of incoming boys I believe we have the potential to be great.
What was your relationship with Coach Pigg and the other coaches like?
Coach Pigg told me that he only wants runners that want to be there, dedicated runners that will be committed to the sport. He seemed very serious about training but at that same time he was a very laid back person. He’s a great coach and you can tell that he seems very confident about the future of his program. I have spent most of the time at UNF with assistant coach Kindt, he was very friendly and seemed to really care about my college decision. I met some of the staff and trainers at Hodges Stadium and everyone was so welcoming, it was just another reason why I liked the school so much.
You finished your senior cross country season with a fourth place showing at the 4A Cross Country Finals and a team championship. How would you describe your time at STA?
It's been an unbelievable senior year at St. Thomas so far. It's a great feeling to say that we made history at our school by being the first boys team to win a cross country title. I couldn’t of asked for a better cross country season or a better team and coach to experience the journey with. It’s a bit crazy to think that me and my very close teammates will be splitting up for the next chapter of our lives. There are six seniors on my cross country team (and our baby junior, Bryce Statham) and we all plan on running in college. I'm glad that we can further our talents and use coach Butler’s methods in the next stage of competitive running. Two of my teammates, Joey Maus and Tony Cruz, have already signed with the university of Tampa so I'm excited to soon find out where the rest of my team will end up going for the next couple years.
What are your goals for the future?
I’m really looking forward to this track season. My first goal is to make it through the entire season healthy. I havent been to the track state championship since freshman year due to injuries, but I believe that if I was able to pull it off in cross country season I can do the same for track! Other than that my main goal is to get strong in the 3200m and be a state champion in that event. On the team side the goal is the same that it is every year, to win a state championship title. I haven’t set goals for college yet. My freshman year I want to work hard but more importantly just enjoy myself and the college running experience.
