2023
Third-team All-American Athletic Conference selection at tight end … caught 32 passes for 280 yards and two touchdowns … hauled in a season-high five passes for 51 yards in the 49-34 road triumph over Temple … made four grabs for 21 yards and a TD in the 41-27 home victory against East Carolina … also posted four receptions for 21 yards and a score at No. 18 Tulane … was on the receiving end of four passes for 37 yards in the 49-21 home win versus South Florida … had four catches for 31 yards at No. 20 Tennessee … made a 27-yard reception in the 37-29 win at North Texas.
2022
Honorable mention All-Conference USA performer at tight end … earned starts in all 14 contests … caught 31 passes for 438 yards and two touchdowns … averaged 14.1 yards per reception … hauled in six passes for 84 yards and a TD in the 48-27 victory over North Texas in the C-USA Championship Game … had four receptions for 86 yards, including a season-long 54-yard catch, in the 44-38 double-overtime win at UAB … made five grabs for 62 yards in the Cure Bowl against No. 23 Troy … had three catches for 57 yards, including a key, one-handed reception on the game-winning drive in the final minute of the 31-27 victory over North Texas … was on the receiving end of a 16-yard TD pass in the 41-7 road triumph over Rice … caught two passes for 36 yards in the season opener versus No. 24 Houston … totaled 28 receiving yards and had a 2-yard rush on a quarterback sneak against No. 20 Texas … member of the preseason watch list for the John Mackey Award … C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll member.
2021
Appeared in all 14 games and made four starts at tight end … had 16 receptions for 233 yards and two touchdowns … hauled in the game-winning TD reception on a tipped pass with three seconds left in the 34-31 victory over UAB … also had a 28-yard catch on the game-winning drive in the final minute versus the Blazers … caught two passes for 19 yards including an 11-yard TD in the 52-46 road triumph over WKU … had a pair of receptions for 33 yards versus San Diego State in the Frisco Bowl … was on the receiving end of two passes for 24 yards in the 49-41 victory over WKU in the Conference USA Championship Game … hauled in a 24-yard pass in the 24-17 win against UNLV … C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll member.
2020
Played in all 12 contests and drew one start at tight end … caught three passes for 46 yards (15.3 avg.), all in the final four games of the season … was on the receiving end of a 21-yard pass against No. 16 Louisiana in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl … had an 18-yard reception in the 52-21 win over UTEP … hauled in a seven-yard pass in the 49-17 rout of North Texas … also was a key contributor on special teams … C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll member.
2019
Appeared in four games and redshirted the season … saw action at tight end and on special teams … played in wins versus UIW and Old Dominion … C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll member.
Prior To UTSA
Unanimous first-team all-district tight end as a senior for head coach David Branscom at San Antonio Brandeis High School … helped lead the Broncos to the quarterfinal round of the Class 6A Division II playoffs in 2018 … recorded 27 catches for 489 yards and five TDs during the regular season … caught two TD passes for a total of 52 yards in a 59-14 victory against Stevens … Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Top 300 prospect … played in the San Antonio Sports All-Star Game in January at the Alamodome … hauled in 24 passes for 374 yards and five TDs as a junior … also played baseball.
Personal
Born on July 25, 2001 … son of Oscar and Barbara Cardenas … father played college baseball at Hill College and was selected in the 10th round of the 1979 MLB January draft by the Texas Rangers … has two sisters who attend UTSA … earned his bachelor’s degree in May 2023 … currently working toward his master’s degree in educational leadership.