Bloomfield senior Evani Velasquez wins Section 6 female athlete honor

Bloomfield senior Evani Velazquez added another major line to a résumé already built across track, soccer and football, earning Section 6 Female Student-Athlete of the Year honors from the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association. The recognition, announced by the New Mexico Activities Association on April 14, placed the Bloomfield High School senior among a select group of student-athletes judged not only on results, but also on academics, leadership and character.

The honor carried real regional weight for San Juan County. Section 6 is one of eight NIAAA sections nationwide and includes schools in Oklahoma, New Mexico, Texas, Colorado and Arkansas, so Velazquez was being measured against a multi-state field rather than a local or state-only group. Each section selects one male and one female student-athlete. Section winners receive a $2,500 scholarship and a plaque, and they advance for consideration at the national level.

For Bloomfield Schools, the award underscored what local supporters have watched build over several years: a senior who has delivered at the highest level in more than one sport and done it while still in school. Bloomfield athletic director Ben Tensay called the recognition well deserved, a fitting description for an athlete whose profile has expanded well beyond the track oval.

Velazquez’s track record is already decorated. Tri-City Record reported that she won the Class 4A girls 200-meter dash as a sophomore in 25.45 seconds, added second-place finishes in the 100 and 400 meters at the state meet, and swept district titles in the 100, 200 and 400 during the regular season. She was also described as a multiple state champion in track and field, and she remained in position to make another run at a state title in the upcoming championships when the Section 6 honor was announced.

Her story has reached beyond one sport. In December 2025, KOB reported that a serious ACL injury ended her soccer career, but Bloomfield football coach Mike Kovacs offered her a place on the football team as a kicker. Velazquez later became part of Bloomfield’s state football championship win, contributing extra points in a season that added another layer to her reputation as a versatile competitor.

The next stop points even farther ahead. Tri-City Record reported that Velazquez accepted an invitation and scholarship to the United States Military Academy at West Point, where she will compete in Division I women’s track and field. For Bloomfield, the Section 6 award highlighted a senior who has made San Juan County notice her on the track, on the football field and now on a regional stage that stretches far beyond New Mexico.