Former Central High School forward Art Arteaga is the second local player to secure a scholarship with the Odessa university in the past three weeks.
He'll be joining forces with former Lake View High School soccer player Johnny Harris, who signed with UTPB earlier this month.
Arteaga, a 2007 Central graduate, has had plenty of time to think about how much he misses playing the game.
He has been sidelined since tearing his ACL in the middle of his senior season in February 2007.
The Bobcats' plans of going far in the playoffs never materialized last year after Arteaga and a couple of other players went down with injuries.
"It was real tough because that group of guys I was with, we had some state plans that year," Arteaga said Thursday after signing his letter of intent with UTPB. "We were supposed to do a lot of stuff. At the beginning of the year, we were ranked No. 2 in the region, so we were planning to go far and make a good run at state."
Central coach Tony Vu knew Arteaga had the perseverance to overcome the ACL injury, and he's proud of all the grueling work he put in while rehabilitating.
"I felt bad for him his senior year," Vu said. "I knew he had the drive and the passion and desire to work his way back to playing again. He's got good skills with the ball. Now that he's come back from his injury, I think he's going to fit right in and contend for a starting spot and contribute to their success this upcoming season.
"A lot of people, after tearing their ACL, could've hung up the cleats and called it quits. He'll definitely be somebody that can put in some good years at the college level."
Arteaga is accustomed to hearing other players rib him about being 5-foot-2 1/2, but his height hasn't kept him from having a big impact on the field.
"I think a lot of people underestimate me when they first see me step on the field," he said. "But I don't mind it."
UTPB moved up from an NAIA school to the NCAA Division II ranks recently, and Arteaga is excited about the program's future.
"They're a growing school right now, and their program is getting bigger, too, " Arteaga said. "I'm just hoping I can go there and contribute and make a difference."
Arteaga and Harris have never played on the same team, but Arteaga knows from playing against him years ago that Harris has the talent to play at the next level.
"Johnny's good," Arteaga said. "He's real fast. I think he's going to help out the team, too. We'll probably end up rooming together."
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