Mateo Cortes Weiss '24: From Minnehaha to the U19 in Mexico...and Beyond

Today we are profiling alum Mateo Cortes Weiss as part of our Five Under Twenty-Five series. Cortes Weiss attended Minnehaha Academy from 2020-2024 and is currently studying marketing at the University of Northwestern-Saint Paul.

Spot on the Map | I regularly fly to my family's home state of Nuevo León, Mexico, and anywhere the Mexican National team is to join their practices. I've also played on Mexico's U15, U17, U18, and U19 teams.

Dedication Opens Doors | As a sophomore, my game was not amazing. After my time on the U15 team, I wasn't chosen for the U16. I kept working on things and my dad encouraged me to go down for a tournament to play against the guys who had been picked above me. I played well that day, and it got me back in the loop with the national team. This past summer I played for the U18 team and then received a call asking me to turn around and come back to play on the U19 team that was just weeks away.

When the teams are out in the community between games, some kids look at me like I’m a superhero... I’ll sign autographs and we’ll see the kids wearing the stuff we signed around town. Honestly, it brings a moment of reflection in terms of where the work has gotten me, and how blessed I am to be in that position.

Olympic Aspirations | I plan to continue practicing with the Mexican National team and drill down on my game to make it onto the Olympic roster for 2028. Mexico was one game short of making the Olympics in 2024, and with a younger crew coming up I think the chances of an Olympic slot are good.

I'd like to be there, and that is the goal I am working for, alongside my academic work at the University of Northwestern–St. Paul. (I'm studying marketing.)

On Choosing a Faith-Based College | At Northwestern, basketball comes second to being a Christian, which is important to me because I know basketball won’t last forever. Having that foundation in faith is what makes this school such a good fit for me. I appreciate that in my marketing classes my professor often starts the day with us with some type of devotional, and that people are so open to having conversations about faith.

"I want to be there if the Mexican team makes it to the Olympics...But like my coach at UNW-SP says, we're Christians first, we're basketball players second. That, to me, is really important because there will be a point where basketball is not going to be there anymore."

Gratitude | My time in Mexico is always amazing: both playing ball and being out in the communities. It's an incredible experience I am thankful for. That said, every time I return to the US and see the MA gym, I'm just like, wow, this is so incredibly nice. We were so lucky to practice here. While I love my time in Mexico, it also makes me realize how much I have to be grateful for here. 

Fun Fact: Language Trials | I was nine when my family moved to the US, and because my mother primarily speaks English and I was surrounded by English speakers I lost so much Spanish.

When I went down to play basketball for the first time, it was pretty shaky. I also had no grasp on popular language or slang, so I would get lost in conversations with people my own age. They would make jokes or say things where I just couldn't gauge what they were intending. 

There’s no better teacher than actually going into the environment and speaking with people, though. I still remember one day when I called my dad and we were speaking in Spanish. He started laughing, and I said, "Why are you laughing?" and he said, "Because now you sound like you are actually a real Spanish speaker."