Cole Freytag
BA-in Communications
MA-in Leadership studies
UTEP Football Student Athlete (2012-2016) Outstanding MLS Student
Before hanging up his football cleats in 2016, Cole Freytag was the UTEP Miners’ top wide receiver. On the field, Cole led the team in receiving yards, and in the classroom, he led by example.
A star quarterback at Coronado High School, Cole attended UTEP on a football scholarship, which covered his undergraduate and graduate tuition.
After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in organizational and corporate communications in May 2016, Cole juggled football, fatherhood, his graduate coursework in Leadership Studies, and a full-time job to earn a second degree from UTEP in less than two years.
As a graduate student, Cole worked full time at Lone Star Title in marketing and business development and attended classes in the evenings. It was a tough schedule, but he says that being a good role model for his three-year-old daughter, Brooklyn, made the effort worthwhile.
Although he was a leader on the football field, Cole credits his graduate education with helping him to further develop his leadership and communication skills. He said if he were still playing football, his graduate studies would have made him a better player. He plans to apply the knowledge he has gained to a future career as a football coach.
Cole’s parents always encouraged him to continue his education, and he intends to do the same for his daughter. He said he wants Brooklyn to have every opportunity to pursue her dreams too.