2023: Played in two games.
2022: Switched positions to linebacker … Played in three games … Made collegiate debut against Marist, making two tackles.
2021: Did not see any game action as a sophomore wide receiver … Contributed on the scout team.
2020: Season canceled due to COVID pandemic.
HIGH SCHOOL: A 2020 graduate of Los Fresnos High School, where he earned four football varsity letters for Head Coach Patrick Brown … Three-time First Team All-Valley, Class 6A All-District 32 and All-Metro selection in football … Named Offensive Newcomer of the Year as a freshman in 2016 … First Team Academic All-State athlete … Three-year team captain in football … Played primarily wide receiver but also saw action at running back and quarterback … Over four-year high school career, totaled 1,474 receiving yards and 19 touchdowns on 103 receptions, 613 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 93 carries and 2,146 total all-purpose yards and 24 total touchdowns … Rushed for 516 yards and two touchdowns on 83 carries and caught four passes for 145 yards and two touchdowns during senior year … Led the Falcons to the district and area championships, and regional semifinalist finish in both 2016 and 2017 … Rushed eight times for 102 yards and two touchdowns a reception for 11 yards as a junior … Caught 63 passes for 870 yards and 10 touchdowns with a rushing touchdown and 972 all-purpose yards as a sophomore … The Falcons went 9-4 during his sophomore season … Caught 25 passes for 327 yards and five touchdowns as a freshman … Earned a total of 10 varsity letters in football, track and field and basketball … Played guard on the varsity basketball team for four years … Competed in the sprints and long jump in track and field … Three-year team captain in track and field … Area and Region track meet qualifier in the 100-meter dash … Ran a 10.6 100-meter dash and jumped 23-feet in the long jump … Junior Olympic qualifier in the 100- and 200-meter dash … Enrolled in a variety of Advanced Placement courses … National Hispanic Scholar … Ranked No. 5 in his class academically … DECAC National Qualifier … Helped coach youth football teams and assisted in a sports-performance program at a local gym.
PERSONAL: Born Nicholas Valencia on April 18, 2002 in Dallas, Texas … Son of Gladys Galarza … Has an older brother Enrique … Brother Enrique attends Yale … Nickname is Nico … Mother played basketball in college … Uncle is an amateur body-builder … Competitive chess player while growing up … Hobbies and interests include music and has goals to get into the music scene in New York City … Favorite class: AP Calculus … Favorite sports figure: Julian Edelman … Favorite sports memory was defeating San Antonio Southwest to become area champs and contributing three touchdowns and 150 yards receiving … Chose Columbia because he wants to challenge himself and receive a first-class education while pursuing his dream of playing NCAA Division I football … Selected Columbia over offers from Yale, Georgetown, Cornell, SMU, UTEP and Rice … Enrolled at Columbia College … Intends to major in Economics.
