SAN ANTONIO – Before he became involved with UTSA Athletics, Victor Rocha characterized himself as an introvert.
But his time as a student at UT San Antonio and as a student worker with the athletics nutrition program has helped Rocha develop confidence and define a future career path for which he is extremely passionate.
Hailing from Del Rio, Texas, a border town in the Southwest part of the state, Rocha learned early in life the importance of giving back.
“My parents and grandparents were very involved in church and they were always out volunteering and helping others,” he said. “I’ve always been around helping people and putting myself in situations where I’m not sitting still. If I can do something, I will do something. That’s where I get most of my joy – just serving others.”
His father, also named Victor, worked as a paramedic and firefighter and it sparked Rocha’s interest in the medical field. As a teenager, he participated in Del Rio High School’s Career and Technical Education program, earning a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) certification as part of its Health Science track.
“I came out of high school with a medical assistant certification and took some time off and worked in a hospital,” Rocha said. “Originally I came to UTSA as a pre-med student and wanted to go to medical school.”
Rocha, a biology major in UT San Antonio’s College of Sciences, is a first-generation college student like nearly 45 percent of the university’s student body.
“I wasn’t expecting so many first-generation students to be here and we’re all on the same page,” he said. “My parents didn’t go to college so I’m very lucky and fortunate to come to a college where everyone is in the same boat. It creates a good sense of community and belonging. UTSA wants first-generation students here. They push you and you’re able to thrive in this community.”
A lifelong sports fan who had always been interested in fitness and nutrition, Rocha was intrigued when in 2023 he saw a job posting for a student worker within UTSA Athletics. The Roadrunners were just beginning a comprehensive sports nutrition program for their student-athletes. Jordan Murrin had recently been hired as the program’s first full-time nutritionist and was looking to build a student staff.
“I got interviewed by Jordan and [Director of Football Sports Performance] Ryan Filo and they brought me in,” Rocha said. “Jordan told me he was the first sports dietician here and it was not only a new experience for him, but for all the staff who had been here before. It was hard to step in and make sure the student-athletes were fueling right and recovering right.
“Seeing it grow from two years ago to now, it’s so different. Student-athletes will come in and get stuff on their own. They’re asking what else they can do to fuel properly. It’s awesome seeing how much the student-athletes have grown to enjoy nutrition. Now, it’s ‘I feel good when I play because of how I ate. What can I do to keep feeling this way?’”
Following Murrin’s departure, Paul Eom, RD, was hired to lead UTSA’s sports nutrition in early 2025. He quickly became a mentor to Rocha and has helped him define his career interests.
“Paul has been really inspiring,” Rocha said. “Every week, we talk about what more we can do for each student-athlete. He’s brought in two fellows who have been so great. Now there’s a team and more people who can help all sports directly. I really enjoy working alongside him.”
Earlier this year, Rocha began to realize that the pre-med route wasn’t one he was passionate about pursuing. It was Eom who suggested that Rocha consider becoming a sports dietician.
“As I kept shadowing and was in the clinic more, the patients and the human body were interesting, but I didn’t like the office setting – I felt like I was sitting down all day,” Rocha said. “With nutrition, I am always on my feet and I feel like that’s what I really like about working in sports. Paul was the one who said, ‘Hey, I think you’d make a great dietitian.’ He’s been a really big influence on why I want to do this long term as a career.”
Rocha will earn his undergraduate degree in December and is currently applying to the Master of Dietetic Studies program within UT San Antonio’s College for Health, Community and Policy.
“Working here has just shaped my ideology of sports and nutrition so now I can definitely see myself doing this as a career,” he said.
Rocha’s transformational experience in San Antonio hasn’t been limited to just his work in Athletics. He has also been a member of Cru, a Christian organization, on campus, which has helped him make lifelong friends. This summer, he participated in a six-week mission trip to Thailand.
“I’ve formed this community of some of my best friends that I just love so dearly,” Rocha said. “We’re partnering with a team in southern Thailand. They asked if I wanted to go. I went through the process of applying and raising funds. I left in early June and came back in late July. It was awesome getting to share my faith with the Thai students. I have international friends now that I talk to and text. I never through I’d go abroad or be a missionary in my life. It was just a huge blessing and a huge opportunity.”
As he nears the end of his undergraduate career, Rocha feels fulfilled by his college experience and optimistic about the future that his experience at UTSA Athletics has helped define.
“I definitely got out of my comfort zone here and have made so many friendships that I know will last a lifetime,” he said. “Professors, staff, anywhere you go, people at UTSA want you to succeed and want to help change you in a good way. I feel like that’s what happened to me here. I just love UTSA. I couldn’t see myself doing my college career anywhere else. That’s why I want to stay here for my master’s, keep helping out and see where life takes me.”