Union University Athletics

Wilfredo 'Cano' Velez played two years of baseball at Union, including 1987 and 1988. He was named at NAIA All-American in both seasons. 

Over his two years at Union, he set a record for 14 consecutive victories, a record that still stands today. In 1988, he posted a record of 10-1. He currently ranks third in Union history with a .909 season winning percentage. 

While at Union, Velez was a two time all-conference pitcher. He played for Coach Bill Green posting a record of 26-17 overall (12-4 TCAC) in 1987 and a record of 44-14 overall (25-6 TCAC) in 1988. Velez led Union to Tennessee Collegiate Athletic Conference (TCAC) titles in both 1987 and 1988.

Currently, his 1988 team is one of only seven Union teams to reach 40 wins in a season. The 44 wins in 1988 is tied for second most all-time. 

While in college, Velez played in the Pan American Games in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1987. He posted a 3-0 record with a 0.86 ERA with 34 strikeouts in 20 innings. He tied Chris Carpenter and Joe Slusarski for the tournament lead in wins, was third in ERA behind Jim Abbott and Jose Ortiz, and led the tournament in strikeouts. 

Velez moved on after college to play in numerous international events. In 1988, he was 1-0 for his Puerto Rico team in the Baseball World Cup. He posted a 2.81 ERA and led his team with 16 strikeouts. That same year, he led Puerto Rico to a third place (Bronze) finish in the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea. 

In the 1991 Pan American Games in Cuba, he defeated Team USA 7-1, leading Puerto Rico to a Silver Medal, finishing behind powerhouse Cuba. He was 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA, record 15 strikeouts in 13 innings. 

Velez is a member of the Puerto Rican Sports Hall of Fame, the Immortals of Baseball Hall of Fame, the Caguas Sports Hall of Fame, and the Yobucoa Sports Hall of Fame. 

Velez is married to Delia Enid Diaz and lives in Caguas, Puerto Rico. They have two children, Vivian and Bryan.