Cardenas begins his first season as an assistant coach with The University of Texas-Pan American men's and women's track and field and cross country programs.

Cardenas joins the Broncs from Mount Carmel Academy in Houston, Texas where he coached soccer, track and field, and cross country for the past two seasons.

The newly-named assistant coach ran collegiately at The University of Houston and Texas A&M. While at Houston, Cardenas captured the Conference USA Championship title in the 800-meter run (Indoor) and was named the 2001 Conference USA Freshman of the Year.

Cardenas followed his stint at Houston at Texas A&M, under the direction of Dave Hartman.

While there, Cardenas was an integral part of the distance medley relay team where he helped clock a record setting time of 9:33.12 in 2004. He was also an All-Big XII performer in the Indoor 800-meter run, distance medley relay team, and in the Outdoor 800M run. In 2003, he was an NCAA Midwest Regional qualifier in 1,500-meter run where he clocked a time of 3:48.6.

Cardenas earned his bachelors degree in history from Texas A&M in 2006.