By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer
Brownsville Lopez senior Brenda Savariego went into the 2020 season aiming to be the best setter in District 32-5A.
As the sole setter for the Lady Lobos, Savariego was on the court for every play, running the offense from the back and front row. She tallied 367 assists and used her court awareness to smartly send over tips for points, collecting 26 kills to spark Lopez’s offense when needed.
Savariego’s stellar play led the Lady Lobos back to the playoffs after finishing second in their district zone, and she was named 32-5A’s setter of the year for her efforts, accomplishing two goals she set prior to the season. Topping off a season she called “the most amazing I ever had,” Savariego has been named The Brownsville Herald’s All-Metro setter of the year.
“It feels amazing,” Savariego said. “I set goals for myself to be (district) setter of the year, and being able to achieve that after all my hard work and then getting All-Metro setter of the year just leaves me speechless. Hard work pays off.”
Savariego was a four-year varsity player for Lopez and started her career as a defensive specialist. Coach Daya Venegas, a former University of Texas at Brownsville setter, noticed Savariego’s potential and transitioned her to the setter role before her junior season. Venegas praised Savariego for going above and beyond to develop not only in her new position, but as a leader.
“We used to come 30 minutes before practice and I’d train her one-on-one in setting,” Venegas said. “She was always asking me, ‘Coach, what can I do? Coach, can you give me drills?’ She put in the work and did things herself at her house, it was not only me training her, and that helped her.
“I’m really proud of her. She deserves this,” the coach added. “She went from not setting at all to being (district) setter of the year and now All-Metro, and she worked hard for that. All credit goes to her. She was the key of this team. She took care of calling the girls to be here, telling them not to be late, picking them up, and now I don’t know what we’re going to do without her.”
The leadership and commitment Savariego displayed earned her the role of team captain, and she made it her mission to make the team a family. She said “it was an honor being able to lead (the) girls, to motivate them and be that person they looked for when they need something.”
Savariego thanked her parents for their endless support throughout her career. But she gives special credit to Venegas for preparing her to take on the responsibilities she had as a senior and for helping her reach her goals.
“I’m known for always taking up a challenge, so I took it as, ‘OK, this is where my team needs me, where my coach needs me, so I’m going to give 110 percent all the time,’” Savariego said. “Coach Daya means a lot to me. She has always pushed me to be my best and believed in me even when I didn’t believe in me, and because of her, I’m able to be setter of the year. She saw my potential, and that encouraged me to show her that she’s right and I’m glad that I was able to make her proud.”