Angel Reyes '27, an offensive lineman on the Cobber football team, was accepted into the NCAA DIII Student Immersion Program, making him the first Cobber to be part of the program.

“I was shocked and pretty excited,” Reyes said. “I felt very honored to be chosen for this event.” 

The program was created in 2015 through the partnering of the NCAA Office of Inclusion and the Division III governance staff. It provides grants for 40 ethnic minority students to attend the NCAA Convention. The goal of the Student Immersion Program is to “build a pipeline of talented ethnic minority candidates, with an interest in Division III coaching and/or administration, in an effort to ultimately diversify the division.”

Concordia Athletic Director Rachel Bergeson, who nominated Reyes for his volunteer work and team commitment, said she was very excited for him to get this opportunity. 

Reyes said he has witnessed the value of athletics in the lives of children by volunteering at the City Youth Sports Sampler in his hometown of Darwin, Minnesota, as well as helping with the local Punt, Pass and Kick competition.

Reyes is majoring in exercise science and hopes to pursue a career in coaching or strength conditioning to give back to the game.  

“I would like to give others the same opportunity I had to become part of a community and give them a sense of belonging through sports at the grade school, high school, and college levels,” he said.

In addition to learning more about coaching, Reyes is also interested in gaining knowledge about administration through the program. 

“This would allow me to explore all the professional career opportunities within Division III,” he said. 

In 2023, Reyes was named the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Rookie of the Year. He played in all 10 games for the Cobbers and helped the offense finish second in the MIAC in rushing yards per game.   

 

Written by Alyssa Czernek '25