Lanier coach Negrete-Fernandez heads to Churchill

After 21 years as Lanier’s coach, Negrete-Fernandez filled that job.

“It was one of those opportunities that just fell into my lap,” Negrete-Fernandez said. “Lanier embraced me. The parents embraced me. The kids embraced the program.

“It’s tough to leave, but I love my daughter a little bit more and I really haven’t had much of a chance to see her play.”

By the same token, fate seemed to find a place for Brackenridge volleyball and softball coach Michelle Suarez at her grandfather’s alma mater. Suarez reported her father, Michael Suarez, was thrilled to learn in mid-June that his daughter would be the new girls basketball coach at Lanier.

“Laura Negrete-Fernandez and I know each other from basketball and because she coached volleyball,” Suarez said. “She knows the game and her kids love her. It’s a tall task to follow her. A lot of sisters, cousins and aunts have played for her. She has done a great job with that program, and I’m excited to be at Lanier.”

Although it will be her first girls basketball head coaching position, Suarez was an assistant to Brackenridge girls basketball coach Tamiko Matthews when she arrived at the school in 2016-17 in addition to leading the volleyball program. A year later, Suarez took over the softball program and had to relinquish basketball duties.

She said basketball was her primary sport at Antonian High School, where she received an offer to play at the University of Texas-San Antonio. Suarez said she grew to miss the sport.

“Basketball has always been my main sport,” Suarez said. “I played (volleyball and softball) at Antonian, but I played basketball year-round. When the opportunity arrived, I had no reason not to jump at it.”

Negrete-Fernandez won more than 300 games at Lanier and made double-digit playoff appearances. The Voks (17-7, 14-2) advanced to the area round in 2020-21 after finishing second in District 27-5A.

“When I first got to Lanier, they were the easy win of the district,” Negrete-Fernandez said. “The first four years we had a lot of (moral victories). Then we had a group of talented, athletic girls. We had a 10-year run of being in the playoffs. This year, we were able to do it again.

“We had some ups and downs, but the girls had a lot of pride.”

Suarez said she was reluctant to leave Brackenridge. The volleyball team (5-4, 5-3) qualified for the playoffs for the first time in her five seasons. In softball, the Eagles tied for sixth place (3-11, 3-11).

“I love Brackenridge,” she said. “This year, we made the playoffs in volleyball for the first time (under Suarez). What’s important is to be able to compete, not only within the district and outside the district.”

Lanier will return all-district basketball selections Kaleah Muñiz and Malaya Muñiz, who will be seniors.

“It’s a great bunch of kids,” she said. “They like to compete, they’re really funny and they have some experience. I’m very fortunate to step into this situation as a new coach.”