Vanderbilt Commodores registered a 10-2 season, thanks in large part to their starting quarterback, Diego Pavia, who was announced as one of the four finalists alongside Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, and Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love, for the 2025 Heisman Trophy.
Before the Heisman fate is announced on Saturday, let’s get to know about Pavia’s ethnicity and his background.
Diego Pavia Ethnicity
Diego Pavia was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and holds American passport. His ethnic background is Hispanic-American. His parents, Roel Pavia and Antoinette Padilla, have Hispanic roots. Pavia has three siblings: two older brothers (Roel Jr. and Javier) and a younger sister (Abrielle).
Pavia went to Volcano Vista High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He then went to play JUCO football at New Mexico Military Institute. His college football journey started with New Mexico State in 2022 before he transferred to Vanderbilt in 2024.
Pavia has openly spoken about his mother, Antoinette Padilla, who has been a central figure in the quarterback’s upbringing. The Commodores quarterback’s winning mindset is inherited from his mother. She raised Diego and his siblings as a single mother and often made sacrifices to make sure her family stayed fed.
“I didn’t grow up with a whole lot. My mom’s a single mom, and she’s the backbone of our family. When I didn’t have a whole lot, it was like, ‘What’s my way out?’” Pavia said.
Despite having zero Division I offers to begin with, Pavia’s mother always knew that her son would eventually come out on top.
“I always felt like Diego was going to make it. He was always a warrior. One parent used to say, ‘All he needs to do is throw the ball up and catch it. He does everything else on the team.’ He played defense. He played offense,” Antoniette said.
Meanwhile, there is not a lot of information available on his father. He is reportedly an important part of Diego’s support system and athletic foundation.
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