2021 Inductee JUNIOR NOMBRE '03

Junior Nombre’s accolades on the soccer field are abundant. His stellar career at Saint Edward’s School has ranked him among the best to step onto the pitch. Junior’s stellar defense frustrated opponents and led to the praise of opponents' coaches. During his 11th grade year, Junior was named Regional Player of the Year. Perhaps the highest compliment an athlete can receive is from his own team. Coach Bill Keating noted that Junior’s teammates “often played beyond their true ability because they did not want to let him down considering how hard he worked.” It was a surprise to no one that Junior went on to a stellar career at Elon College, where he was named co-captain, first-team All-Southern Conference, and Team MVP. Junior even played for a stint in the Premier Development League with the Carolina Dynamo. Also noteworthy, in order to stay in shape for soccer, Junior also turned himself into one of the area's best cross country runners as well, posting several times around 18:00 minutes and helping lead the Pirates to the state meet. Even after all of these accomplishments, it’s noteworthy that Junior continued to give back to Saint Edward's. Coach Keating looked back fondly on the days during Christmas breaks when he would return to practice with the boys, never once letting the players know what he had accomplished. It is a true honor to welcome Junior Nombre to the Saint Edward’s Athletic Hall of Fame class of 2021.