EDINBURG – Anthony Magallon loves to leap. His path to success in track and field hit a road block before it even began. A basketball injury his senior season left him sidelined for a long period of time.

“I blew out all the ligaments in my ankle,” said the former Palmview Lobo. “I broke my fibula. Of course my back had an issue. That was three different surgeries. I had to get screws in my ankle. I had to get surgery on my back. A lot of injury time.”

In spite of his setbacks, Magallon was determined to compete in college.

“Everyone pretty much had their mindset on someone who has back surgery,” said Magallon. “There’s no way you can come back to high jump. A thing that really involves landing on your back. Lifting from your back, that kind of stuff.”

He was primarily a sprinter his first two years at UTRGV, but at the beginning of the season, Magallon was given the green light to focus on the high jump.

“I was ready for it,” said Magallon. “The high jump is really fun for me. The high jump’s real technical. It’s something I really get to think about and something I get to love.”

Magallon earned his ticket to the NCAA Regionals with a jump just a couple inches shy of seven feet. It’s the third-best attempt in program history.

“It’s pretty awesome coming from where I come from,” said Magallon. “Coming from being a walk-on, to being somebody who kind of just jumps and competes for fun and taking it to the next level. It’s kind of crazy.”

The Lobo turned Vaquero hopes his story of overcoming obstacles can inspire other Valley athletes.

Magallon will complete in the NCAA West Regionals Saturday in Sacramento.