Category: Sports

WHITE LAKE, Mich. (Nov. 2, 2026) – The Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) announced its weekly golf awards for Oct. 26–Nov. 1, honoring Our Lady of the Lake University’s Magnus Hojgaard as Men’s Golfer of the Week and teammate Claudia Hidalgo as Women’s Golfer of the Week. Both golfers captured individual tournament titles while leading the Saints to team championships at the Crusader Cup.

RRAC MEN’S GOLFER OF THE WEEK – MAGNUS HOJGAARD, OUR LADY OF THE LAKE

Our Lady of the Lake freshman Magnus Hojgaard captured medalist honors at the Crusader Cup, finishing first among 58 golfers with a two-round total of 139.

Hojgaard opened the tournament with a 3-under-par 69 before following with a 2-under-par 70 in the second round. His 5-under-par performance on the par-72, 6,898-yard course secured the individual championship and helped lead the Saints to the team title in the 10-team field.

The Køge, Denmark, native delivered an impressive performance for OLLU, earning his first-place finish while helping the Saints claim the tournament championship.

RRAC WOMEN’S GOLFER OF THE WEEK – CLAUDIA HIDALGO, OUR LADY OF THE LAKE

Our Lady of the Lake sophomore Claudia Hidalgo earned medalist honors at the Crusader Cup, finishing first among 25 golfers and helping lead the Saints to the team championship.

Hidalgo opened the tournament with a 2-over-par 74 before carding a 6-over-par 78 in the second round. She finished with a two-round total of 152, 8-over-par, on the par-72, 6,040-yard course to capture the individual title.

The Guadalajara, Mexico, native led OLLU to a first-place team finish in the five-team field, completing a successful tournament for the Saints.

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — The Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) women’s soccer team delivered a dramatic postseason victory, defeating Texas A&M University-Texarkana 4-2 in a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw through regulation and two overtime periods.

The Saints battled through a competitive opening half, with both teams creating scoring opportunities but neither finding the back of the net. Texas A&M-Texarkana broke the scoreless tie in the 64th minute when Ziah Zachry scored off an assist from Lillian Miller to give the Eagles a 1-0 advantage.

OLLU responded with a determined effort, continuing to push forward in search of the equalizer. The Saints found their breakthrough in the 80th minute when Eleonora Diversi scored an unassisted goal, bringing the match even at 1-1 and shifting the momentum back in OLLU’s favor.

Neither team could find a go-ahead goal during the two overtime periods, sending the contest to a penalty shootout. The Saints remained composed under pressure, converting four of their five attempts to secure the 4-2 shootout victory. Deserie Herrera, Angela Garcia, Mariana Medrano and Miya Haehnel each converted their penalty kicks to lead OLLU to the win.

Goalkeeper Carola Verano played an important role throughout the contest, recording nine saves in 110 minutes of action. Diversi led the Saints offensively with five shots, all on target, while Grace Reed added four shots, including three on goal. OLLU finished with 20 total shots and 14 shots on goal.

San Antonio, Texas- Our Lady of the Lake University welcomes Adam Alviar back to the Lake as its new golf coach, bringing nearly a decade of high school coaching experience, more than 20 years in the golf industry, and a strong personal connection to the university.

Born in McAllen, Texas, Alviar spent the first 15 years of his life in Germany as a military child before returning to Texas and making San Antonio his home. After graduating from Douglas MacArthur High School, he served in the United States Army before beginning a career in the golf industry. Alviar eventually earned his Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from OLLU. His connection to the university runs deep, as his wife, Dr. Leah J. Alviar, is also an alumna, and the couple was married in the university’s chapel.

Following approximately 20 years in the golf industry, including positions as Head Golf Professional and General Manager, Alviar transitioned into coaching at the high school level. Over nearly 10 years, he guided multiple individual golfers to the regional round of the UIL playoffs, helped his teams earn approximately 60 victories and established the first indoor golf practice facility at a high school in the San Antonio area. He was also selected by his peers to serve as a guest speaker for the Texas High School Coaches Association.

“We are excited to welcome Adam back to the Lake,” said OLLU Director of Athletics Tom Norris. “His experience, passion for the game and commitment to building relationships with student-athletes make him a great addition to Saints Athletics. We look forward to what he will accomplish with our golf programs.”

Alviar’s coaching philosophy emphasizes both competitive development and personal growth. On the course, he stresses aggressive play, consistent ball striking, hitting fairways and greens, and maintaining composure. Above all, he believes in creating a family atmosphere where every decision impacts the entire team. Inspired by coaches such as Dick Vermeil and Gregg Popovich, Alviar prioritizes relationships and believes athletes should never be defined solely by their performance.

“Here at OLLU we are a FAMILY,” Alviar said. “Our team is our family, and we always do what is best for the family.” Outside of coaching, Alviar enjoys golfing, fishing, watching the Dallas Cowboys and spending time with his family. He and his wife have been married for 29 years and have three children: Adam Jr., Aaron and Anderson. As he returns to the university that played an important role in his life, Alviar looks forward to building relationships and developing the next generation of Saints golfers.

WHITE LAKE, Mich. (Oct. 26, 2026) – The RRAC released its 10th set of weekly women’s soccer awards for Oct. 19-25. Texas A&M Texarkana’s Desiree Narvaez wins Offensive Player of the Week, and Our Lady of the Lake’s Carola Verano claims Defensive Player of the Week honors. 

RRAC WOMEN’S SOCCER OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – DESIREE NARVAEZ, TEXAS A&M TEXARKANA 

A&M Texarkana senior forward Desiree Narvaez scored in both the Eagles’ victories this week, including the game-winner that propelled them past first-place LSU Alexandria. She scored on a pass from Brooklyn Lattier with 24 seconds left, giving A&M Texarkana a 2-1 win and handing the Generals their only conference loss of the season. 

With the Eagles leading Louisiana Christian, 2-0, at the half, Narvaez scored on a cross from Dulce Macias in the 55th minute, and teammate Briana Puente scored the fourth goal in the 70th minute. The Wildcats added their sole goal in the 86th minute before the match ended with a 4-1 TAMUT victory. 

Narvaez is playing in her fourth season with the Eagles. She has added 13 goals, two assists, 53 shots, and 34 shots on goal. She is from Mesquite, Texas. 

Fourth-seed A&M Texarkana ends the regular season 7-2 in the RRAC and 14-2-1 overall.  The Eagles will be the No. 3 seed in the RRAC tournament. They lead the RRAC with 430 shots, 73 goals, 54 assists, and 105 corner kicks.  

RRAC WOMEN’S SOCCER DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – CAROLA VERANO, OUR LADY OF THE LAKE 

OLLU freshman goalkeeper Carola Verano had one save against A&M-Victoria on Thursday. On Saturday, she saved two against NAU. The Saints won both games 2-0. 

Verano is 7-3-2 this season. She has started in nine games and has had 14 saves and three shutouts. She is a native of Saluzzo, Cuneo, Italy. 

OLLU will share the RRAC Regular Season title with top-seeded LSUA, and the Saints will hold the No. 2 seed. They finished 8-1 in the conference play and 10-3-2 overall. Their stat line is 294 shots, 34 goals, 22 assists, 13 goals against, 62 corner kicks, 40 saves, and six shutouts.

Dallas, Texas- Our Lady of the Lake University men’s golf team captured first place behind a dominant performance from Magnus Hojgaard, who claimed individual medalist honors at the tournament.

Hojgaard finished five-under-par to secure the individual title, leading the Saints with a strong performance across both rounds. He finished three-under in the opening round before closing with a two-under round to finish five strokes under par.

Juan Limon also delivered an impressive performance for OLLU, finishing tied for third at one-under-par. Limon improved by one stroke in the second round to finish among the tournament’s top individual performers and help pace the Saints.

Three OLLU golfers finished inside the top 20, with Matteo Sasdelli tying for 20th at six-over-par. Sasdelli carded a four-over opening round before finishing two-over in the final round.

Alex Marshall also tied for 20th, finishing six-over-par after shooting six-over in the opening round and even par in the second. Niall Langley-Brook finished tied for 26th at seven-over-par, rounding out the Saints’ individual results.

Hojgaard’s first-place finish and Limon’s top-three performance highlighted a successful tournament for OLLU, as the Saints combined strong individual play to secure the team championship.

Dallas, Texas- Our Lady of the Lake University women’s golf was led by an outstanding performance from Claudia Hidalgo, who captured first place individually at the tournament.

Hidalgo finished atop the leaderboard at eight-over-par, carding a two-over opening round before closing with a six-over round to secure the individual victory. Her first-place finish highlighted the Saints’ efforts against a competitive field.

Jordan Hernandez also delivered a strong performance for OLLU, finishing third overall at 14-over-par. Hernandez carded a nine-over opening round before finishing five-over in the second round to secure a spot on the podium.

Sophia Young finished tied for seventh at 19-over-par, recording an eight-over opening round before finishing 11-over in the final round. Micah Guy tied for ninth at 22-over-par after posting a 12-over first round and a 10-over second round.

Karla Gonzalez rounded out the Saints’ individual results, finishing 21st at 47-over-par.

Hidalgo’s individual championship, combined with Hernandez’s third-place finish and three Saints placing inside the top 10, highlighted a productive tournament for OLLU women’s golf. The Saints will look to carry that momentum into their upcoming competition.

Blanchard, Oklahoma- The Our Lady of the Lake University women’s golf team was led by Claudia Hidalgo, who finished tied for fifth place at 16-over-par. Hidalgo delivered the Saints’ top individual result, competing against a field of collegiate golfers and securing a top-five finish.

Samantha Garcia followed with an 11th-place finish at 22-over-par, providing another strong result for OLLU. Grayson Weiler placed 13th at 25-over-par, while Jordan Hernandez finished tied for 21st at 37-over-par. Micah Guy rounded out the Saints’ competitors with a 31st-place finish at 51-over-par. Karla Gonzalez also competed as an individual for OLLU but did not record a final score.

Hidalgo’s top-five performance highlighted the Saints’ individual results, while Garcia and Weiler added finishes inside the top 15. The team’s performance provided valuable experience and opportunities to continue developing consistency across the lineup as the season progresses.

Forth Worth, Texas- The Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) men’s and women’s cross country teams competed at the DBU Old Glory Gallop on October 17 at AP Ranch in Fort Worth, Texas. The meet featured a competitive field of collegiate programs, with the Saints gaining valuable experience in the men’s 8,000-meter race and women’s 5,000-meter race. The highlight of the competition came from Isai Moran, who set a new OLLU school record in the men’s 8K.

Moran led the Saints with a time of 23:47.0, finishing 12th overall and establishing a new school benchmark in the event. His performance placed him among the leading runners in the field and marked a significant achievement for the OLLU cross country program. Joseph Lopez was the team’s second finisher, placing 32nd overall in 24:29.2.

The men finished 21st in the team standings with 510 points and a combined time of 2:06:23, averaging 25:16 per runner. Joey Poblano finished in 25:43.9, followed by Joseph Gonzalez in 25:55.4 and Luke Adams in 26:28.2 to complete the team’s five scoring positions. Jose Perez also competed for the Saints, finishing in 27:15.9.

On the women’s side, OLLU placed 36th in the 5K team standings with 1,099 points and a combined time of 1:48:56. The Saints averaged 21:47 per runner across their five scoring finishers.

Serenity Williams led the women’s team, finishing in 20:13.1. Jocelynn Reyes followed with a time of 21:40.2, while Claudia Lopez crossed the finish line in 22:00.4. Norma Ramos recorded a time of 22:12.9, and Evee Rodriguez completed the team’s scoring lineup in 22:50.1.

West Texas A&M claimed the men’s team title with 27 points and a combined time of 1:57:01. In the women’s competition, West Texas A&M also secured first place, scoring 80 points with a combined time of 1:26:36. East Central finished second in the women’s standings, followed by Dallas Baptist in third.

The DBU Old Glory Gallop provided both OLLU squads with another opportunity to measure their progress against a large and competitive field. Moran’s school-record performance stood out as a major accomplishment for the men’s program, while the women continued to build experience and work toward their season goals.

Official meet results are available through TFRRS at https://www.tfrrs.org/results/xc/27617/DBU_Old_Glory_Gallop.

OLLU opened the scoring in the eighth minute when Miya Haehnel found the back of the net off an assist from Deserie Herrera at 8:19. The Saints continued to apply pressure, doubling their lead in the 18th minute as Alexzia Gamez scored an unassisted goal at 17:49.

The Saints added a third goal just before halftime. Hannah Brookfield converted a scoring opportunity at 44:02, assisted by Eleonora Diversi, giving OLLU a commanding 3-0 advantage heading into the break.

Texas A&M-San Antonio responded in the second half, with Heidi Berchelmann scoring at 80:13 off an assist from Kaylee Haskins. However, the Jaguars were unable to overcome the deficit as OLLU maintained its two-goal advantage through the final whistle.

OLLU’s offensive production was evident throughout the match. Diversi led the Saints with six shots, including two on goal, while Herrera also recorded six shots and three on target. Monica Sanchez added four shots, all on goal, and Angela Garcia registered three shots, including two on target. Haehnel, Gamez and Brookfield each contributed a goal to the Saints’ three-goal effort.

Defensively, goalkeeper Carola Verano played all 90 minutes, recording three saves while allowing one goal. The Saints also generated eight corner kicks and committed eight fouls during the contest.

Texas A&M-San Antonio goalkeeper Isabella Villarreal recorded 16 saves as she faced sustained pressure from the OLLU attack. The Jaguars managed six shots and six corner kicks but were unable to generate enough offense to challenge the Saints’ lead.

The victory showcased OLLU’s attacking depth and ability to capitalize on scoring opportunities early in the match. By building a three-goal cushion in the first half and maintaining control after the break, the Saints secured a 3-1 road-area victory over their San Antonio opponent.

San Antonio, Texas- Our Lady of the Lake University student-athletes Claudia Hidalgo and Zaddie Santacruz were recognized by the Red River Athletic Conference as Athletes of the Week following standout performances for the Saints.

Hidalgo delivered a strong performance for OLLU women’s golf at the Battle in the Desert, helping the Saints finish seventh out of 14 teams. She posted a three-round total of 228 (+12), highlighted by an opening-round 73 (+1), followed by rounds of 78 and 77.

Santacruz turned in one of the top individual performances at the OLLU Invitational, placing 10th out of 62 runners in the women’s 6K. She crossed the finish line in 24:06, leading the Saints against a competitive field.

The two performances highlighted the strength of OLLU athletics across the fall sports season and earned Hidalgo and Santacruz recognition among the RRAC’s top performers of the week.