That was email The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) junior jumper Harry Barthelemy received from assistant coach Andy Eggerth while in the transfer portal.
Those are heavy words to use in the world of track & field, but Barthelemy had the résumé to garner such high praise from the former Team USA coach.
The Bradenton, Fla.-native graduated from Lakewood Ranch High School as the program record holder in the high jump, long jump and 4x100-meter relay.
Barthelemy earned a scholarship at the University of South Alabama and his talent and potential showed immediately.
As a freshman, he set the program record in the high jump with a leap of 2.08-meters at the Sun Belt Conference (SBC) Outdoor Championships, taking bronze.
The 2.08-meter mark was the 53rd-best in the east region, just five spots shy of advancing to the NCAA East Preliminary Round.
Barthelemy had set the foundation for a strong sophomore campaign, but COVID-19 forced the cancelation of the 2020 outdoor season.
With more questions than answers, Barthelemy put his name in the transfer portal.
"I needed to get a bigger and better scholarship for me and my family," Barthelemy said. "I felt like I needed to be somewhere that matched what I was putting in."
What Barthelemy had done through one outdoor season had garnered attention from big time programs such as Florida, Florida State, Kansas State, Colorado State and Virginia Tech, but it was the email Eggerth sent that brought Barthelemy to UTRGV.
"When I first saw the email it said, 'full ride.' It was a different email than I've had from any other school. I thought, 'man this coach has to be kidding.' I didn't think a coach would want me like that."
Excited for the next step in his athletic career, Barthelemy was eager to get to South Texas and put in the work alongside his coach and new teammates.
"As I was getting to UTRGV, I was telling my friends, 'bro I can't wait to get there.' I just had that mindset. I just want to go in and eat."
In his first outdoor season with UTRGV, Barthelemy has already set the program record in the triple jump (15.39 meters) and holds the second-best mark in the long jump in program history (7.48 meters).
NCAA WEST PRELIMINARY ROUND
After an eye-popping 2021 outdoor season, Barthelemy is competing in both the long jump and triple jump at the NCAA West Preliminary Round from May 26-28 at Texas A&M's E.B. Cushing Stadium.
He will become one of three UTRGV student-athletes and the first jumper to ever compete in multiple events, along with graduate student Paul May this season and Diamond Thomas in 2019 in the shot put and discus.
"I'm really excited," Barthelemy said. "I'm really blessed for this opportunity. For me to finally reach a goal I've been looking for, it's pretty exciting."
Barthelemy is not showing any first-time nerves participating as he is confident in his ability.
His only concern leading up to the meet is nursing a hamstring injury he suffered during the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Championships.
"I'm still recovering from it," Barthelemy said. "It's doing good, but I need it to get to 100% before I compete. That's the only thing that's been on my mind. Outside of that I feel like I'm ready. As long as my body feels good, I feel like I have a chance."
Already helping to shape the jumps program in his first season, Barthelemy is proud to be representing UTRGV as underdogs.
"That same energy I have for myself, I have for the school, for the community," Barthelemy said. "I know we're underdogs compared to other schools, but when we have athletes that beat big schools at meets like this, it just goes to show you don't have to be at an SEC school. It's really just what's in their heart."
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May 24, 2021 at 10:35PM
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Barthelemy Leaping Onto National Stage - UTRGV Athletics
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