By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer
HARLINGEN — Harlingen South’s Mikela Mireles signed her intent to play volleyball at Victoria College on Tuesday, fulfilling a dream that began when she first tried the sport in seventh grade.
Mireles overcame an ACL injury to become one of the top players in the Rio Grande Valley.
The senior outside hitter/defensive specialist recorded 725 kills, 540 digs, 41 aces and 36 blocks in 2019, leading South to back-to-back playoff appearances and bi-district round victories.
“Mikela has always been someone special,” Harlingen South coach Anissa Lucio said. “Right off the bat, I knew she was going to be a vital contributor to our success, and she was. She’s always been very coachable, very determined and very competitive.”
Also in 2019, Mireles earned The Valley Morning Star’s 2019 All-STAR Volleyball Most Valuable Player honors for the second consecutive year.
“This is a big day for her,” Lucio said. “I’m glad our other volleyball players can see her in this moment and see how far she’s come, and hope to be here one day, too.”
Mireles attended an open tryout held by Victoria College coach Josh Moore in December 2019. After being offered a roster spot and invited on a campus visit, Mireles said she “fell in love with” the school.
“The coaches were a big part of why I chose (Victoria College),” Mireles said. “They were very up front with everything, and I could just tell I wanted to be part of it.”
Victoria College is a junior college located 120 miles southwest of Houston. Last fall, the Pirates wrapped up their inaugural season as members of Region XIV of the National Junior Collegiate Athletic Association.
“Everything about the way she plays we liked,” Moore said. “She’s very aggressive. At both the club and the high school teams she’s been on, she’s been the go-to player, and that’s something that we look for. … We liked her personality and thought she would be a great fit for our team.”
Prior to that, the program competed exclusively in the Texas Collegiate Club Sport League; the school is still a participant in the nine-team league.
“I’m excited to leave my mark there, which is what I plan to do over the two years of playing for them,” Mireles said. “It’s definitely going to be a challenge going from high school to (the Division I junior college level).”
Mireles she plans to be a physical therapist and pursue either exercise science or kinesiology. She will join four other Rio Grande Valley natives on Victoria College’s 2020 roster, three of whom are from Los Fresnos.