Yaxel Lendeborg leads Latinos in NCAA Tourney
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Xavier Andrade,
- March 19, 2026
Pair of No. 1 seeds feature Latinos stars
Michigan’s All-American Yaxel Lendeborg, the Big Ten Player of the Year, has become one of college basketball’s brightest stars this season. He will lead the Wolverines at the 2026 NCAA men’s tournament as the top seed in the Midwest Region.
The 6-foot-9 Dominican American forward has stepped up in some of the Wolverines’ biggest moments, most recently drilling a game-winning 3-pointer against Wisconsin in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals and dropping 27 points on rival Michigan State to close out the regular season.
While producing on the court, Yaxel Lendeborg has been the heartbeat of a Wolverine team that secured a program-record 29 wins this season.
His leadership is what has stood out to head coach Dusty May ever since Lendeborg decided to skip the 2025 NBA Draft to play one more year at the collegiate level and transfer to Michigan.
Respected leader
“He came back and just wanted to be one of the guys,” May said of Lendeborg. “I think that’s probably the biggest reason it’s worked. He hasn’t tried to be bigger than the team. He just simply wanted to be one of many and try to do something special together.”
Lendeborg leads Our Esquina’s list of Latinos to Watch in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
As a Wolverine, Lendeborg has secured Big Ten Player of the Year honors. He averaged 14.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.6 blocks per game this season.
While Lendeborg leads the charge for Michigan, he will be part of a talented group of Latinos ready to make an impact during March Madness.
Robbie Avila leads SLU
Center Robbie Avila leads Saint Louis University as a No. 9 seed, marking the program’s first NCAA tournament appearance in seven years. The Billikens will join Lendeborg and the Wolverines in the Midwest region.
Avila, who is Mexican-American, was named the Atlantic 10 Conference Player of the Year. He has reached career highs in 3-point shooting (41.6%) while maintaining his status as one of the best passing big men in the country.
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Avila’s 4.1 assists per game led all centers in NCAA men’s basketball for a second season in a row.
The defending NCAA tournament champions Florida Gators and guard Boogie Fland roll into the South Region as the No. 1 seed. The Gators bring a stout defense that has helped them post a 26-7 record.
Fland has played a pivotal role on defense. The sophomore from the Bronx ranked in the top five in steals in the SEC with 1.7 per game.
Victor Valdes leads Troy
Forward Victor Valdes and Troy are back in the NCAA tournament after last year’s first-round loss to Kentucky. The Trojans enter as the No. 13 seed in the South Region, where they join the Gators. They are fresh off securing their second consecutive Sun Belt Conference Tournament championship with a victory over Georgia Southern.
Valdes, a native of Monterrey, Mexico, dished out a game-high six assists in the Sun Belt Tournament championship game. He showcased his ability to conduct an offense, which he has done well for the Trojans all season.
At 6-foot-7, he leads the team with 14.8 points and 4.6 assists per game.
Every year at the NCAA tournament there have been several instances where lower seeds exceed expectations. No. 15 seed Saint Peter’s reached the Elite Eight in 2022. Loyola Chicago, a 12th seed, made it to the Final Four in 2018.
This year, a team that could make noise at the tournament is High Point University.
High Point enters the West bracket as the No. 12 seed led by senior Owen Aquino. The 6-foot-8 power forward with Dominican roots has made it difficult for anyone attempting to enter the paint. He leads the Panthers with 58 blocks on the season.
Yaxel Lendeborg and Boogie Fland will try to defend their No. 1 seeds. Robbie Avila, Owen Aquino and Victor Valdes lead their squads as underdogs. Latinos will compete at nearly every level of the bracket during March Madness.
Xavier Andrade
Xavier Andrade, who played football at Luther College, graduated with degrees in Communications and Political Science. He previously worked in editorial and social media for Hola Cultura, a Latino publication in Washington, D.C. Andrade currently coaches football at Hillsdale High School in San Mateo, Calif.
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