Dr. Paul Serrano

Dr. Paul Serrano

There was an article in The Arizona Republic a week ago that questioned the sanity of anyone who would play linebacker on a football team, and described them as "knights under the lights, with pads as their armor, and the field as their fortress."

That reporter could have been talking about Paul Serrano who was quoted in a 1973 issue of The Legend as saying: "I like to be in the middle of things, and playing linebacker lets me in on the most hitting and action." His style of play has been compared to that of another free spirit, Pat Tillman.

Paul played for Dan Dunn at Gilbert High School where he was All-State in football and track. At MCC, he was co-captain with Paul Schmidt of the undefeated 1973 team that won a national championship and earned NJCAA and Academic All-American honors. A true scholar-athlete, he also won a chemistry award.

He was one of the first junior college football players to play in the Ivy League. As a Biology major at Brown University where he graduated with honors, he was co-captain and Defensive MVP of the Bruins 1975 team and the recipient of major award for leadership, sportsmanship, and performance.

He received his doctorate in dental surgery from UCLA and has been a practicing dentist in the Phoenix area for the past 24 years. Active in the community, Paul is a founding member of the Barrows Neurological Craniofacial Center, and the Maricopa County Community College District has recognized him with its Distinguished Alumnus Award.