Hector Benavides, a recent graduate from Alexander, has officially joined the football roster at Morningside University, bringing a rare blend of speed and defensive savvy to the Iowa campus.
From the track to the gridiron
Benavides first made a name for himself on the track, where he captured the 100‑meter and 200‑meter titles at both the UISD City Meet and the District 30‑6A meet. His personal bests of 11.17 seconds in the 100 and 22.21 seconds in the 200 placed him among the fastest sprinters in the region.
Those performances translated into a dominant track season that culminated in a Border Olympics team title, the first in program history, and a school‑record 4×100‑meter relay time of 42.06 seconds.
Beyond the track, Benavides was a force on the football field, logging 294 tackles, 171 of them solo, and intercepting seven passes over three varsity seasons. His defensive excellence earned him Class 6A third‑team All‑State honors as a junior and, as a senior, he was named District 30‑6A Most Outstanding Defensive Back while also receiving first‑team All‑City recognition.
Coaches who worked with him, including Brian Swain and Rickey Carson, noted that his experience in the 400‑meter relay and his relentless work ethic gave him a unique edge in coverage and run support.
Now headed to Morningside University, where he will line up as a free safety, Benavides says he feels confident about the transition. He joins a program that has already attracted attention from local media such as the Laredo Morning Times and the Edwardsville Intelligencer, both of which have highlighted his potential impact.
The move also places him in the same conference as Lindenwood University alumni, creating a familiar regional connection that could shape his development over the next few years.