MISSION — Brenda Lozano spent the past eight years as the girls cross country and track and field head coach at Edinburg Economedes, helping turn the Jaguars into a powerhouse in both sports.
The veteran head coach captured a combined eight district titles, five in cross country and three in track, while sending numerous individuals to regional and state meets in both sports.
Following her eighth season, however, Lozano made the tough decision to leave the place she called home for nearly a decade and assume the same roles at Sharyland Pioneer.
“It was hard for me,” Lozano said. “Seeing the girls from Econ coming up to me, the family that we had there, it is kind of tough to see them from the other side. Life is ever evolving, though. We have to keep moving no matter what. … I still have them in the back of my mind, and I’m never going to forget what Econ brought to me and how I learned as well. I learned so much being there from all my other coaches. To see them on the other side, it is kind of tough, but I needed to see what I could do someplace else.”
It hasn’t taken long for Lozano to show what she could do, taking the Diamondbacks’ girls cross country team to the regional meet for the first time in three years this season.
The success has seemingly transferred onto the track, with Sharyland Pioneer’s girls track team opening the 2023 campaign with an overall team championship during the 15th annual Bobby Morrow Relays at Bobby Morrow Stadium in San Benito.
“I think change is needed for growth, and I feel like I am right where I am supposed to be right now,” Lozano said. “There is a lot of work ahead of us as a team, but I’m excited for the numbers we’re having right now.”
One of the biggest differences noticed by Lozano since joining the Diamondbacks is an increase in numbers in comparison to her teams at Economedes.
Last season, the Jaguars won the District 31-6A girls track and field team championship despite having only eight members on the team. Lozano’s Diamondback squad this season is made up of roughly 20 athletes.
“I think us coming together as a coaching staff and program, I feel like I’m getting a lot of help I’m not used to getting,” Lozano said. “We’re getting volleyball kids, basketball kids, soccer kids and even cheerleaders. I’m pretty excited about the numbers we’re going to be able to put together on our varsity and subvarsity teams. It gets me excited for our future to be honest.”
A look into possible things to come was on display during last Saturday’s meet, with the Diamondbacks cruising to a team championship by 44 points. Sharyland Pioneer finished with 106 points, with Edinburg North the next closest at 62.
Freshman Alexandra Moya helped spearhead the Diamondbacks’ victory, picking up a pair of individual medal finishes in the 400- and 800-meter runs.
Moya finished in 59.7 seconds for first in the 400, adding a silver in the 800 with a time of 2:26.0. She also anchored the Diamondbacks’ 4×400 relay team, which took first in 4:17.4.
The Diamondbacks finished with eight podium finishes, including a gold medal sweep of the meet’s three relays.
“I was kind of surprised after the meet” Lozano said. “When it finished, one of my athletes — she is a senior — after winning the 4×100 relay she said it was her first gold medal. I was pretty excited to hear something like that. Just for a kid to experience something like that, it brings me joy already. I did let them know we can’t be satisfied, and we do need to be dropping those times. We’re still not where I feel we need to be, so each week we need to keep progressing to get there.”
Lozano and the Diamondbacks continue the 2023 track season today at the 2nd annual Donna ISD Earl Scott Relays at Bennie La Prade Stadium in Donna.
