Tony Villarreal III
Inducted 2018
Hometown: Brownsville
High School: Hanna High School
College: Texas Southmost College, Southern Methodist University
Best Known for: Coaching – Football
b. October 7, 1957
Once a standout wide receiver for Brownsville Hanna High School, Villarreal became one of the Valley’s best coaches, with 197 victories and a 71-percent winning percentage in 24 seasons.
He played collegiate baseball at Texas Southmost College and Southern Methodist University, and launched his coaching career shortly thereafter as an assistant coach.
Villarreal has led every team he coached to the state playoffs, with seven district titles, three appearances in regionals, and one state semifinal trip. He began at Port Isabel, where his Tarpons were among the tops in the state, advancing to the final four in 1994, when Villarreal was named Texas Coach of the Year in Class 3A. He coached at Pharr North and then his alma mater, Brownsville Hanna, making the playoffs in both stints. In 2005, he came to Weslaco, and led the Panthers in the playoffs consistently, including a three-deep, 10-win season in 2007.
A two-time Valley Coach of the Year, Villarreal is known for his intensity and commitment to excellence.
