Jared Madrazo is more than the 3.5 minutes per game that he averages.
In fact, his story might be the greatest of all the men’s basketball players at Westmont College.
It all started his freshman year, when the 5-foot-7 guard tried out for the team but was cut on the very last day. For the next two years he would play intramural basketball at Westmont, including winning the championship his sophomore year.
Jared Madrazo
Tragedy struck his family on September 9, 2008 when his brother Nic, a Marine, died in a roadside bombing in Afghanistan.
“Jared is a guy of high character. He’s a guy of great honor,” said coach John Moore. “He’s a guy who’s been through very rough times that nobody at that age should have to go through.”
In his senior year, the Bothell, Washington-native asked Moore if he could try out for the team again.
“Jared has a healthy pride,” said Moore. “His healthy pride pointed him back in this direction.”
Jared quickly became a fan favorite. A group of students made shirts which say “The Madrazone” on it. Whenever it’s late in game, you can hear the crowd chanting “We want Madrazo” in an effort to get him more playing time.
“It tells you about our community and that they care about a guy who stands for all the things we want a Westmont student-athlete to stand for,” said Moore. “Jared is the kind of guy who is easy to like because he is the kind of person most of us want to be.”
To add to his basketball commitment he is also a part of ROTC. After he graduates Westmont he will join the United States Army, continuing the family legacy of serving the country. What the ROTC requires from Madrazo is that three times a week he gets up early to do workouts at UCSB. Then, later in the day, he reports for basketball practice.
“It’s truly a test of Jared’s character,” said Moore. “It’s a great symbol of more than perseverance, but a courageous relentlssness.”
In the end, Madrazo will be known more for the life he led at Westmont than those 3.5 minutes per game he spent on the court.
BARNA GOES PRO: Dillon Barna, a star defender for the Westmont soccer team, will try his hand at professional soccer after being drafted by A.C. St. Louis in the North American Soccer League.
As a freshman, Barna made an immediate impact for the Warriors, bringing stability and strength to the backline. Over his four-year career, he started in all 72 games the team played.
Because of his size (6-3, 200 pounds), Barna was also used on the offensive end of the field in set pieces, accumulating four goals.
Over the last three years, Barna has also played for the Ventura County Fusion, part of the USL Premier Development League. This last season they won the PDL title.
TENNIS NETS RANKING: Westmont men’s tennis is as good as its been in years.
In the latest rankings, the team is voted as the eighth-best team in the nation. Coach Mark Basham has already led the team to big wins in his first season.
The won big against Point Loma Nazarene, which was ranked seventh in the nation at the time. They also beat NCAA Division III’s fifth-ranked team in Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, 5-4.
The Warriors look poised to make the national tournament for the first time since 2003.
