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(Note: Check back throughout the next few days for stories on all of the RGVSports.com All-Area and All-Star winners)
All year, the comments were the same. Actually, for the past four years. They came from opposing coaches in the district, across the Rio Grande Valley and up through portions of the state.
“We knew we had to watch out for No. 14,” Rouse head coach Jacob Thompson said. “She’s a heck of a player and great athlete. She was going to get hers, there was no doubt about it.”
Those comments came following a loss to Rouse in the Region IV-5A semifinals, one game after McAllen Memorial’s Amare Hernandez helped decimate Sharyland and end the Rattlers’ state-best 43 straight wins streak. The senior outside had a match-high 18 kills on an eye-popping .412 hitting percentage in the sweep that sent the Mustangs to the Sweet 16 for the third time in the past five seasons.
Hernandez, a Texas A&M volleyball signee, has been named The Monitor’s 2023 All-Area Volleyball Player of the Year.
The 5-foot-11 four-year starter completed her season with 544 kills (4.2 kills/set) on a .292 hitting clip. She ranked 51st in the state in total kills, according to MaxPreps.com and only two other Valley players had more total kills. But the number of kills is nowhere near as impressive as the explosive sound they made when she hammered away.
One person on the sideline shook the first time Hernandez hit the ball during a match. “My goodness,” the lady said. “It sounded like a canon.”
Opposing players who tried to defend an oncoming Amare Asteroid took it another step farther – it felt like a cannon ball.
Fellow bombers Leah Garcia (306 kills) and Madisyn Sosa (274 kills) played close to 40 fewer sets than Hernandez due to injuries/sickness etc.. That put all eyes – and defenders – on Hernandez’s outside thunder.
Known for her innocent smile and not-as-innocent offense, Hernandez made it a point to increase her effort and skills on defense. To keep Memorial out of system, opponents would often target her. In response, she finished second on the team in serve receptions with 466, and digs with 401, only behind libero Juliet Trevino (603 and 427, respectively). She also topped the squad with 68 aces.
In what will become a legendary story for the already volleyball legend, it was while Hernandez was at an A&M camp that the head coach was sitting in his office, hearing the thump of the ball as the players warmed up. Every so often, though, there was an extra-loud explosion. Coach figured it was someone from his team.
“Coach, you gotta come see this girl,” an assistant said, as he barged into the office.
Hernandez had all but given up on getting noticed for A&M volleyball. Then, she got noticed.
Citing her arm strength, her ability and her personality, A&M head coach Jamie Morrison said by video that Hernandez will fit right in to the Aggie family.
“This has been my dream, since as far back as I can remember,” Hernandez said. “I’m just so excited to be an Aggie now.”
[email protected] / Photos by Joel Martinez/rgvsports.com and courtesy by Christian Inoferio
