This just in: Wide receiver Baltazar Zavala ’11 learned that he just became a Rhodes scholar after Harvard’s 28-21 victory over Yale earlier today. The news came via a text message that he found as he left the field to celebrate with his teammates. “Congratulations. You’re a Rhodes Scholar,” it said.

The 6’1, 185 lbs walk-on from El Paso, Texas, was also recently selected to join the academic honor society Phi Beta Kappa earlier this month. A neurobiology and engineering concentrator in Kirkland House, “Zar” Zavala maintains a 3.934 GPA, according to a feature article from the Boston Globe that was released in celebration of his winning a Marshall Scholarship. Both scholarships offer recipients opportunities to conduct postgraduate study in the United Kingdom. The Rhodes, whose long list of influential and famous alumni includes former President Bill Clinton, will cover tuition fees for up to three years of study at the University of Oxford.

Zar flew to his hometown for the interview late Friday afternoon, and didn’t get back to Boston until about 25 minutes after kickoff, but he dressed and joined his team on the field as Harvard defeated Yale for the ninth time in ten years.

(Image: Zar (No. 41) on the field. Source: Facebook.com)

Gracing the pages of multiple publications today, Zar said “I can’t think of a better day!” Noice offers the heartiest congratulations to our winning senior, in every sense of the word! Some people do have it all.

Sources: LA Times, ESPN, HuffingtonPost (basically, the Internet & Facebook)

i had to take a break from reading comments to watch the opening segments of an old Ellen where everyone dances because i was getting anxious.

55 comments & counting.

I think it’s time to go regress and watch episodes of Arthur. Putting on the Christmas onesie…