Bloomfield Athlete Accepts West Point Scholarship, Eyes JAG Career

Evani Velasquez formally accepted a scholarship to the United States Military Academy at West Point on December 18, 2025, committing to compete with the academy’s Division I track and field team while training as a cadet. The offer follows a standout high school career in Bloomfield that combined success on the track with multi sport experience and recent contributions to a state championship football team.

Velasquez said she was drawn to West Point by its leadership emphasis and the opportunity to serve. "What stood out to me were the leadership opportunities and the chance to serve my country and those around me," she said. "I also value being in an environment with others who want to serve and being part of something greater than ourselves." She plans to major in Law and Legal Studies with a Pre Law focus and has the long term goal of joining the Judge Advocate General Corps. "I’ve always had a passion for law and constitutional matters," she said. "West Point checks all of the boxes perfectly and offered all of the things I’d been hungry for."

Velasquez’s athletic résumé includes a state title in the 200 meter dash in 2023, when she ran 25.45 seconds and set a school record. Her soccer career was cut short by a torn ACL, but she stayed connected to school sports by managing the Bloomfield High football team in 2024. Head coach Mike Kovacs later gave her an opportunity to try kicking, and she ended up contributing to the team that captured a state football title.

The West Point women’s track and field program competes in NCAA Division I as a member of the Patriot League and entered the current season coming off its first Outdoor Track and Field Patriot League Championship in May 2025. Coach Mike Smith has led the program since 2014.

For Bloomfield and San Juan County the news brings both pride and practical benefit. A local athlete moving to a federal service academy raises the community profile of school programs, and it signals to students that paths from rural schools to national institutions remain attainable. Velasquez’s combined focus on athletics, academic rigor, and public service frames a model for civic engagement and may strengthen local interest in leadership and service oriented opportunities for youth.

Her family and teammates played a central role in the decision and in her development as an athlete and student, and Bloomfield officials and residents are likely to view her acceptance as a tangible example of the community supporting ambitious educational and service commitments.