Uriegas made a lasting impact for Rivera as All-Metro MVP

Rivera volleyball coach Elizabeth Avelar-Guerra remembers quite well when Iris Uriegas was brought up to the varsity as a sophomore in 2007, just before the Lady Raiders’ bi-district playoff match.

Uriegas made the most of the opportunity and turned out to be a key performer in helping the Lady Raiders advance to the second round.

Since that time, Uriegas has continued to make an impact for Rivera, earning 32-5A All-District first-team honors as a junior and senior. As The Brownsville Herald’s 2009 All-Metro MVP, the 5-foot-7 senior standout has collected yet another award.

And as far as Avelar-Guerra is concerned, it’s recognition that is truly well-deserved.

"Iris was a great leader for us," the Rivera coach said. "She would call all the girls together and make sure they were all doing what they were supposed to (on the court). She was a leader in that she would do more than just say something. She would show our young team what to do, and she was always working hard, trying to get the girls together and to play united.

"Iris was a very talented player," the coach added. "She had a heavy hand, and she was aggressive. I wish the rest of them were as aggressive. Iris and Jovanna (Rangel) were the ones who kept us in the district race. If we could have had Iris in the front the whole time, we would have been pretty good, but unfortunately, we couldn’t do that. When she rotated to the back row, that’s usually when we would fall behind."

Uriegas said it was tough not to make the playoffs her senior season as the Lady Raiders went 6-8 in 32-5A, but earning awards such as All-Metro MVP helped ease the disappointment.

"It’s an honor, and it’s something that I personally didn’t expect, and neither did Jovanna (the All-Metro libero), because of the fact that we didn’t have such a great season," Uriegas said. "I’m not a 6-foot person like some of the other MVPs that have been here at Rivera and in the district. It was very nice to find out (I was chosen MVP). It made the season memorable for me.

"Jovanna and I were probably two of the ones on the team this season who had been to the playoffs since our sophomore year and had actually played in a playoff game, so we tried to take a leadership role," she added. "We were a young team, and I know the girls were looking to us. When it came to a game, we knew we were the ones who had to motivate them. If they ever saw us down they would get down, so all the time we tried to keep ourselves up even through the hardest matches so that our teammates could contribute to the game and play their hearts out."

Since volleyball ended, Uriegas has made the transition to basketball. She ranks second in her class academically, and after graduation she plans to attend the University of Texas at Austin and study education and nursing.

Uriegas is grateful to her volleyball coaches and teammates for making her senior year something special to remember.

"I just want to thank the coaches for helping us out throughout our four years (of volleyball) and getting us up to where we were," she said. "And thanks to the team for helping us make the best of our senior year. I think it’s been a privilege to be a part of the team here at Rivera." 

Roy Hess writes for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him via e-mail at rhess@brownsvilleherald.com.

The Brownsville Herald’s 2009 All-Metro Volleyball Team

Most Valuable Player

Iris Uriegas, Rivera

Setter of the Year

Samantha Garcia, Los Fresnos

Libero of the Year

Jovanna Rangel, Rivera

Newcomer of the Year

Gloriana Villarreal, Los Fresnos

Coach of the Year

Becky Woods, Los Fresnos

First Team

Avery Danielson, Los Fresnos

Brooke Kretz, Los Fresnos

Rebekah Vela, Los Fresnos

Cindy Castillo, Pace

Laura Zamarippa, Pace

Kacie Patterson, Hanna

Second Team

Lauren Berletch, Porter

Gaby Fernandez, Rivera

Andrea Jimenez, Pace

Ann Ortiz, Hanna

Hayley Weaver, Los Fresnos

Elia Lopez, Lopez