Honors
· 2011 Southland Conference Player of the Year
· 2010-11 first-team All-Southland Conference
· 2012 second-team All-Southland Conference
· 2011 Capital One Academic All-District VI
· 2011 Southland Conference All-Academic Team
Junior (2011-12)
Earned second-team All-Southland honors after recording a 77.06 stroke average … was one of four players to compete in all 11 tournaments … best finish came at the Islanders Classic, where she carded a 226 (73-78-75) to tie for fourth place … low 54-hole score was a 221 (76-71-74) to help UTSA to its first of four tournament titles on the campaign … her low round of 70 came in the final 18-holes of the Golfweek Conference Challenge … carded 56 birdies on the season.
Sophomore (2010-11)
Named Southland Player of the Year after leading the circuit and setting a school-record with a 75.25 stroke average … one of three players to appear in all 11 tournaments … became the first player in program history to earn first-team all-conference honors twice … earned Capital One Academic All-District VI honors and was named to the Southland All-Academic Team … set a school record with a final round 66 and 54-hole score of 212 (74-72-66) at the Mercedes-Benz Women’s Championship … that round helped UTSA set team records for a single-round (287) and 54-hole score (886) … recorded five top-10 finishes with her best coming at the Islander Classic when she tied for second with a 220 (73-73-74) … tied for fifth at the Southland Championship and was UTSA’s highest finisher at the NCAA West Regional (t63rd/78-78-78—234).
Freshman (2009-10)
Named first-team All-Southland and led the team with a 75.73 stroke average during her rookie campaign … notched her first career individual win at the Husky Invitational … posted a pair of under-par rounds, including a career-best 68 in the first frame of the UCF Challenge … played in five of the six spring tournaments … made her Roadrunner debut with a four-under-par 68 in the first round of the UCF Challenge and finished tied for 17th with a two-day tally of 226 … carded a pair of 76s and 79 (231) at the Northern Migration Invitational … won the individual crown after shooting a 76-73-75—224 at the Husky Invitational … finished tied for 23rd with a three-round total of 235 at the Baylor Spring Invitational … closed out the season on a high note with a sixth place showing at the conference championship with a career-best 220 (77-70-73).
Prior To UTSA
Ranked No. 1 by the Mexico Golf Federation in 2008 and 2009 … a member of the Mexican National Junior Team … was awarded Best Athlete Award in 2009… tied for 21st at the Thunderbird Tournament with a 77-78-73—228 … posted a top-10 showing (T-10) with a scorecard of 72-79-76-78—305 at the Optimist International Junior Golf Championship … has competed in the Junior World Championship the last three seasons (2006-08) and her best outing was 23rd place with scores of 77-75-76-79—307 … placed third at the 2008 AJGA Maykoba Junior Golf Classic … finished 13th at the 2008 Doral Publix Junior Golf Classic with rounds of 74, 73 and 82 (229) … had a ninth-place showing (79-75-78—232) at the Doral Publix Junior in 2007.
Amateur
Represented her native Mexico at the 2011 World University Games and shot a 308 (76-79-75-78) to tie for 35th … fired a 293 (72-69-77-75) to tie for 40th at the 2010 Women’s World Amateur Championship.
Personal
Full name is Paola Valerio Valeria Mercado … born on Aug. 18, 1990, in Mexico City, Mexico … daughter of Ricardo and Elsie Valerio … has one brother, Ricardo … majoring in business.