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UHV’s first multisport athlete closing in on biology degree

As important as school and athletics are to Megan Huerta, family is even more important.

Megan Huerta

The 21-year-old biology major is the University of Houston-Victoria’s first multisport athlete, having played both soccer and softball for the Jaguars.

In fall 2013, Huerta played 14 soccer games. She made 10 starts, scored four goals and tallied three assists. She then joined the softball team in spring 2014, hitting .400 with 16 runs scored and five RBI.

She played both sports again this school year. Huerta recorded three goals and one assist on the soccer field while scoring 11 runs this season on the softball diamond. Though her soccer eligibility is up, Huerta plans to continue playing softball for the Jags.

On April 19, Huerta was named both the softball and soccer team’s Champions of Character honoree during the UHV Athletics Banquet.

“Megan is an amazing young lady who has a bright future ahead of her,” said UHV assistant softball coach Emily Bergstrom. “She has made a huge impact on our team these past two seasons, and I know she did the same for soccer.”

Huerta first attended Wayland Baptist University in Plainview on a soccer scholarship.

Huerta, who grew up in Van Vleck and graduated from Van Vleck High School in 2011, wanted to be closer to family. That’s when UHV came into the picture.

“My family is No. 1 to me,” she said. “I knew it would be easier for me and them if I moved closer.”

At Wayland, Huerta was involved in soccer as well as dance and cheerleading. That experience made her realize she would be able to manage her time at UHV between soccer, softball and academics.

Huerta plans to graduate in the fall, but she will continue playing softball another two years as she earns her master’s degree. She also will serve as a senator in the Student Government Association this fall.

“I really like it here,” she said. “I like the atmosphere and getting to know the faculty. I enjoy the small class sizes.”

Huerta’s plans to attend medical school and earn her doctorate as a pediatric oncologist.

“I definitely have a calling for children,” she said. “Some of my family members have experienced cancer. I hope to make a giant impact.”

I am a Jaguar is an online feature highlighting the exceptional students who attend the University of Houston-Victoria. To nominate a student, contact Jeremy Shapiro, UHV communications manager, or call 361-570-4296.

The University of Houston-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 80 academic programs in the schools of Arts & Sciences; Business Administration; and Education, Health Professions & Human Development. UHV provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as an instructional site in Katy, Texas, and online classes that students can take from anywhere. UHV supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.