BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER
Marisa Gutierrez is going home.
The six-year coach for the Mercedes girls basketball team is leaving the Lady Tigers to fill the vacant coaching position at PSJA Memorial. The move became official Thursday.
A native of Pharr, Gutierrez graduated from PSJA North in 2000. The move reunites the PSJA ISD alum with her home district.
“I leave Mercedes with a heavy heart because it’s tough letting go,” Gutierrez said. “But I weighed my pros and cons. It’s a step ahead for me and a bigger school district. It’s a (Class) 6A school, and it’s closer to home for me as well.”
Gutierrez played an instrumental role in revitalizing a Lady Tigers program that hadn’t made the postseason since 1986. She leaves having coached the team to back-to-back district titles, including a 23-9 record during the 2014-15 season. She was named the RGVSports.com Coach of the Year in 2014.
Gutierrez was hired by PSJA Memorial football coach and athletic coordinator Mike Uribe. Uribe formerly coached at Mercedes and also served as the school’s athletic director. One of his first hiring moves was promoting Gutierrez from an assistant to the head girls coach in 2009.
“We know what she brings to the table,” Uribe said. “There was a strong familiarity with the history that we have together. And I know what she brings to the table on a day-in and day-out basis. I know her character, I knew her work ethic, I know her passion.”
Gutierrez will also join Eric Steinbrunner, who coached the Mercedes boys basketball team. Steinbrunner was hired earlier in the off-season.
“It makes things easier for a transition,” Gutierrez said. “I know these gentlemen well, so I think it adds more to it for me. I think Eric and I have a good thing going on. We had a good thing going on for us at Mercedes, hopefully we can continue that at PSJA Memorial.”
While the Lady Tigers flourished under Gutierrez, the Lady Wolverines have struggled in recent years, including a 0-12 record in District 31-6A last season.
“It’s going to be a whole new ball game, trying to build that program again and see what we can do,” Gutierrez said. “They’ve got great athletes as well, and great kids. I’ve heard a lot of good stuff about them and I’m looking forward to getting know them. We’re going to try and be competitive and we’ll have the talent to do it.”
Though she has yet to officially resign from Mercedes, a move that should happen in the coming days, Gutierrez has already taken the time to bid farewell to the Lady Tigers.
“It was really hard,” she said. “There were a lot of tears shed. That was probably the hardest part of this whole move and transition for me.”