Holguin signs with Winthrop

PANAMA CITY — Some people make their mark with a baseball bat or football, or by blistering the competition on basketball courts. Gabe Holguin made his with his feet and it paid off just the same.

The Bay High School graduate signed scholarship offers for cross country and track and field with Winthrop University on Wednesday. Winthrop is a Division I school which competes in the Big South Conference and is located in Rock Hill, S.C.

Holguin shined for Bay’s track team for four years and ran cross country for three, including winning the Bay County championship last season. He medaled in the 800-meter run, 1,600 run and the 3,200-meter relay at the state track meet in each of his last two years at Bay.

His major achievement came without a medal in cross country. He was 25th at the Class 3A meet as a senior, but became the first Bay runner to advance that far since 1997.

Now he’ll look to continue his improvement on the college stage.

“It’ll be nice to compete at the highest level,” Holguin said. “We may not be in a powerhouse conference like the SEC or the Big 10, but we still go to the same meets and still have the same opportunities.”

Holguin was eager to begin his career, but he realizes it will take time to adjust to the competition. He may have conquered many high school runners, but this is a different level, he said.

“I think I’ll be a little intimidated my first meet,” Holguin said. “But in time it’ll all settle in and I’ll get used to it.”

Holguin credited Bay coaches Aaron Byas and Tim Wanamaker for helping make him a better runner. He said a year under a new coaching staff will provide new opportunities.

“It’ll give me some training that I’ve never had,” Holguin said. “The first year, I hope to compete well in the conference meet and the coaches have said the first two years I may do some Junior Nationals.”

Holguin will compete in the 800 and 1,500 events for Winthrop and he also said he will likely run some distance relays. His best high school time in the 800 was 1 minute, 55 seconds and 4:20 in the 1,600. His top cross country time was 16:06.

The decision to sign came down between Louisville and Winthrop, Holguin said. East Carolina also was a suitor. Holguin chose Winthrop due to the financial amounts offered with both scholarships.

Track and cross country scholarships provide only partial funding due to the large number of participants. However, added to academic aid, student loans and grants, Holguin said his family would owe about $1,000 to $1,500 of the $28,000 yearly tuition and expenses.