RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Department of Intercollegiate Athletics announced on Saturday that senior baseball student-athlete Hank Warren is the recipient of the 2026 Jody Ramsey Memorial Award, the top honor a baseball student-athlete can earn at UTRGV.

The Jody Ramsey Memorial Award is presented to a senior or graduate student baseball player who best exemplifies the standards set by Ramsey, meaning he must show superior athletic ability, character, leadership, and dedication to excellence on and off the field.

Warren has been the starting right fielder for the last three years and upon graduation will begin attending the UTRGV School of Podiatric Medicine.

Following in His Father's Footsteps

For Warren, the path to podiatry didn't begin in a classroom, it started at home.

Growing up in a family immersed in medicine, Warren witnessed firsthand the impact podiatry could have on people's lives. His father worked as a podiatrist, and those early experiences planted the seeds for what would eventually become his future career. It was a deeply personal family experience that ultimately shaped his motivation.

"I grew up around my dad. He's a podiatrist," Warren said. "My grandfather suffered from diabetes and ended up having a mid-foot amputation, and later on a below-knee amputation. Seeing my dad's impact on how he can help people with diabetes and diabetic ulcers, seeing how that could impact people like my grandfather, that really stuck with me."

Even with those influences, Warren's journey toward podiatry wasn't immediate. Throughout high school and into college, he considered other career paths, including occupational therapy and physical therapy. It wasn't until recently that everything clicked.

"I kind of pondered on it on and off all throughout high school," Warren said. "But really this past summer, I shadowed my dad a little bit more, and that's when it really sparked my interest. Just seeing the work-life balance, understanding it more as a mature person, and seeing the impact you can have on people, especially with all the new technology in the medical field right now."

Shadowing his father offered more than just professional clarity. It also gave Warren a new perspective on someone he had known his entire life.

"It was awesome seeing him within a business setting," Warren said. "Obviously, I see him more as my dad, not my boss. So, seeing him interact with patients and really helping people — it's different. I love seeing that interaction. That's another thing that motivates me, the one-on-one connection you get to have with patients."

Making the Most of an Opportunity

While Warren's future lies in medicine, his present has been defined by baseball and his time at UTRGV. Originally from Pollok, Texas, Warren's journey to the Rio Grande Valley wasn't straightforward. After undergoing Tommy John surgery during high school, opportunities were limited. He went to Northeast Texas Community College as a freshman, and saw limited action while missing most of the season due to injury. UTRGV offered Warren a walk-on spot, and he made the most of it.

"This was the only school that really offered me a walk-on spot," Warren said. "My first year I was still kind of banged up from surgery, but they were great helping me recover and getting me right. Our coaches are very player-first oriented, and every year I've been here, I've loved it more and more."

Warren's action was limited in his first season as a Vaquero as he worked his way back from injury. Over the last three seasons, though, Warren has becoming one of the most consistent players on the team. For his UTRGV career, Warren is hitting .281/.375/.357, going 144-for-513 with five home runs, 18 doubles, three triples, 87 RBI, 88 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases in 154 games.

This season, Warren is hitting .290/.400/.359, going 38-for-131 with one home run, six doubles, 16 RBI, 22 walks, and 22 runs scored in 42 games.

Warren is now a veteran presence for the Vaqueros and his appreciation for the university and fan base has only deepened over time, especially with his younger brother now following in his footsteps.

"With my little brother coming here, I think it helped him knowing what he was getting into," Warren said. "We have a great coaching staff, great fan base, and just a great environment."

Some of Warren's favorite moments at UTRGV come when the stands are packed and the energy is high.

"My favorite thing is when we come out and it's a packed house," Warren said. "You go play other schools, even big programs, and they don't have half the crowd we do. Even on the road, we sometimes have more fans than they do. That, and the team chemistry every year, we get better personality-wise. We're all playing for the same goal, and the guys make it easy to come out here every day and have fun."

The Journey Ahead

As Warren's baseball career winds down, his next challenge is already on the horizon. He's currently finishing prerequisite coursework, including additional chemistry classes, before beginning podiatry school.

"Usually, classes are all due by July 1, and then school starts the first week of August," Warren said. "That'll be four years of medical school and then three years of residency after that."

Long-term, Warren hopes to follow in his father's footsteps and eventually open his own practice, though he hasn't ruled out returning to the Rio Grande Valley, where the need for podiatric care is significant.

"My dad has his own practice back home, so that's the goal right now," Warren said. "But I really do love it down here. There's a lot of people with diabetes here. It's one of the most prevalent areas in Texas. Either way, I just want to help people with the same goal that I initially had when I started."

Before moving on to the next chapter, Warren made sure to express gratitude to the fans who supported him throughout his time at UTRGV.

"I just want to say thank y'all," Warren said. "Every game, I hear all the little kids yelling for a ball. As much as it can be a lot sometimes, it's a lot of fun. It's something I'm going to look back on and be extremely grateful for. I'm glad to say I came to this university, and I'm proud to be a Vaquero."