Recruiting Update: St. Pius X RB talks commitment decision

Without a doubt, 2022 Albuquerque (NM) St. Pius X running back <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="26257" first="Marco" last="Ybarra"]</strong> took the recruiting process VERY seriously. He did extensive research, he took visits, he attended camps, he spoke with coaches, players and academic folks at numerous schools (he had 15 offers). Only when he was satisfied he had sufficient information to decide which college to attend did he pull the trigger on his well informed decision. Ybarra announced Friday night that he will attend Chapman University in Orange, CA, one of the top academic universities in the country. And they play a nice brand of football, as well, as a member of the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Ybarra, who plans to major in business, visited Chapman in late February and he says the trip helped sway him on where he should spend his next four years and earn his college degree. “The visit convinced me,” Ybarra told Prep Redzone New Mexico. “One thing that was key for me during all my college visits was if I could truly envision myself there, and if I could see it as home. I did a multitude of research on Chapman beforehand, so I knew about how prestigious the business school was and how the atmosphere of the school seemed. That knowledge combined with the sense of being home convinced me that Chapman is the place for me. “As soon as I stepped on the Chapman campus, I felt welcome. The campus tour gave me the opportunity to see myself on campus and in the business hall. I also met with the football staff and players who made me feel wanted and welcome to their program. The visit went tremendously well and that played a crucial role in my decision.” Ybarra rushed for 1,497 yards and 22 touchdowns in 11 games for St. Pius X last season as he led the Sartans to the district title and a top four seed in the Class 4A playoffs. Chapman recruited Ybarra as a running back, but he could see action at fullback as well. “I know that versatility is crucial in college so I am excited to see how I am specifically utilized, whether is it at running back or fullback,” Ybarra said. “We’ll see.” In addition to being offered to play football, Ybarra was also awarded the prestigious Provost Academic Scholarship, which will help defray some of the costs of attending Chapman. Technically, Division III schools do not award athletic scholarships but usually assist prospective athletes with scholarships and financial aid. “I am extremely honored to have received the Provost Scholarship,” Ybarra said. “I applied to over 25 schools during this past year and Chapman awarded me the most scholarship money of them all. The school and the football staff made it very clear that I am wanted there.” Ybarra will report to Chapman in early August for preseason camp. “I’ve reached out to a few players and commits but I’m excited to get to know my teammates in person,” Ybarra said. “We will basically have the whole campus to ourselves during fall camp, and that’ll give us a great opportunity to bond as a team.” Before he departs for Chapman, though, Ybarra still has plenty on his plate. He’s served as the student body president at St. Pius X since the beginning of the 2021-22 academic year, guaranteeing his daily schedule is always full. “I have a couple more projects lined up to finish the year,” Ybarra said. “One is the St Pius Lip Dub, which is basically a music video that highlights the school culture, clubs, and teams. The next is Prom, which all the upperclassmen are looking forward to. Finally, I will give an end-of-year speech to the student body, and then the next student body president will be elected in early May.” &nbsp; https://twitter.com/marcoayb/status/1512465975966269442 https://twitter.com/marcoayb/status/1503829061625282563 https://twitter.com/marcoayb/status/1497976658292199425