Phillip N. Frietze grew up in Mesilla, the son of a U.S. Marine with roots in southern New Mexico that date back to the 1840s. At an early age, Frietze told his father Neri he wanted to join the Corps. NMSU alumnus Phillip N. Frietze was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General this year and is currently the Commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces South, in Florida. (USMC Courtesy photo)
My dad is one of my heroes, said Frietze.
He grew up on the family farm, graduated from Las Cruces High School in 1984, and then worked his way through New Mexico State University. He served in the Reserve Officer Training Corps and earned his degree in 1991 before entering the USMC Officer Candidate School.
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Four individuals with New Mexico ties have recently won or are in contention for national honors in the world of sports – but the awards are not just for what they’ve done on the court or field.
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In football, offensive linemen rarely gain national attention. But UNM’s Teton Saltes, now in law school, hasn’t been an ordinary lineman. Both on and off the field, Saltes has made the most of his collegiate career, involving himself with children, literacy and suicide and bullying prevention.
Last week, Saltes was named one of three finalists for the 2020 Wuerffel Trophy, college football’s premier award for community service. Oh, by the way, the 6-foot-6, 322-pound Valley High alumnus was also named All-Mountain West Conference honorable mention this year and has been a perennial Lobo Scholar-Athlete.