EDINBURG – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Men's Soccer team announced on Thursday that it will host Alumni Recognition Night during Saturday's 7 p.m. men's soccer match against Our Lady of the Lake to honor alumni of the program.
 
"I am very grateful that the Pan American men's soccer alumni have embraced our new team and have celebrated the new university identity," UTRGV head coach Paul Leese said. "It is appropriate that, in return, we celebrate their legacy and recognize the student-athletes that established a soccer following back in the '80s and '90s."
 
Soccer alumni from Pan American University and The University of Texas-Pan American are invited to join a pregame social with live music, food and refreshments at the UTRGV Soccer and Track & Field Complex at 6 p.m.
 
Pan American soccer alumni may purchase their tickets at the box office at a reduced rate of five dollars.
 
Select alumni will then have the opportunity to take the field at 6:45 p.m. to present current men's soccer student-athletes Carlos Acevedo and Juanito Garcia with the Eloy Moran Men's Soccer Scholarship.
 
This scholarship was initiated on behalf on several instrumental alumni who have dedicated their resources to further developing the UTRGV men's soccer program and enhancing the student-athlete experience. The founders of this scholarship include former student-athletes Jorge Cavazos, Pedro Diaz, Carlos Juvera, Demian Morquin, and Miguel Santos, as well as the scholarship's namesake, former head coach Eloy Moran.
 
"This scholarship came as an appreciation and recognition of what the soccer program has done for the community and for foreigner players who had the blessing to play under Coach Eloy Moran," said Demian Morquin, who played for the program from 1991-92. "The purpose of the collected amount is to help a new generation of players, who hopefully in the future could continue with this initiative as a tradition."
 
All Pan American soccer alumni in attendance will take the field to be recognized at halftime.
 
One of the alumni in attendance will be opposing head coach Shane Hurley, who played for the program as a starter from 1990-93, serving as co-captain his senior year.
 
"We are all very proud of our alumni," UTRGV Director of Athletics Chris King said. "It's always great to see how athletics played an influential role in their development and success. We are proud of all the ways our former student-athletes have chosen to give back to their communities."
 
If you are a Pan American soccer alum that would like to attend this event and be recognized, please contact Leese at 956-665-3764 or paul.leese@utrgv.edu. For tickets or special accommodations, contact UTRGV Assistant Athletic Director for Ticket Operations & Sales David Riggs at 956-665-3747 or david.riggs@utrgv.edu.

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