Imperial High School’s Rebeka Jimenez heads to South Dakota
Imperial High senior to join Presentation Saints
IMPERIAL — Despite being more than 1,000 miles away from home at the start of her college career, Imperial High’s Rebeka Jimenez will be surrounded by familiar faces when she suits up for the softball team at Presentation College in Aberdeen, South Dakota, next spring.
The Tiger senior signed her letter of intent to play for the Saints during a ceremony inside the school’s gym here late last week and is set to join a roster that already holds two Imperial Valley natives including Brawley Union High grad Cortni Mendoza and Central Union High grad Kassandra Orozco.
“They are two of my former travel ball teammates,” Jimenez explained.
Jimenez said she decided to look into the NAIA Div. I program after learning from Mendoza and Orozco the team was in need of outfielders.
“I went for a visit and a tryout and I was offered,” Jimenez said. “I contacted them in December and had my visit around February.”
The offer, which will cover 75 percent of her fees, made the senior switch from third base to right field in her senior campaign with the Tigers.
Jimenez ended the season with a .921 fielding percentage with 22 put outs and 13 assists after starting all 23 games. Jimenez played on the Tiger squad for three years and helped them to back-to-back Imperial Valley League titles in her junior and senior seasons and connected for 45 career hits, 23 RBIs and 29 runs.
Next season, the soon-tobe-grad will join a Saints team that finished the 2016 season with an overall record of 24-29 and a North Star Athletic Association record of 11-13 landing in the middle of the nine-team conference.
Jimenez said in the classroom, she is planning on focusing on radiology technology with a minor in psychology.
“Honestly, I’m really looking forward to starting my studies in the medical field and continuing my education,” she said.
Jimenez will leave for school in mid-August and will quickly join the Saints in their preseason drills and workouts.
“They’ll have us conditioning and weightlifting,” Jimenez said.
As the college makes up a majority of the town, Jimenez said she was excited to begin her college career as the university was extremely supportive of its athletes.
“I’m just thankful to all my coaches and my dad for working with me for so many hours and molding me into the athlete that I am today,” she said.