Deep playoff runs earn SFIS, MV all-star recognition

Posted by Quentin Jodie | Dec 21, 2023 | Volleyball |

WINDOW ROCK – Santa Fe Indian School’s volleyball team achieved a lot of firsts during the 2023 season.

The Lady Braves were ranked No. 2 all season and they earned the school’s highest playoff seed in its history.

Navajo Times | Quentin Jodie
Santa Fe Indian School senior Maria Begay (16) celebrates with her teammates after defeating Albuquerque Cottonwood Classical in a playoff game at the New Mexico Class 3A state playoffs. Begay was selected as the Navajo Times Volleyball Player of the Year after helping her team to a second-place finish.

And although they came up short to district rival Santa Fe St. Michael’s in straight sets at the New Mexico Class 3A state title game, the Lady Braves earned the school’s first state volleyball trophy under second-year coach Joseph Garcia.

SFIS finished the year at 21-6 overall.

Garcia was named the 2023 Navajo Times Volleyball Coach of the Year, and he shares that recognition with longtime Monument Valley coach Rennell Gilmore.

In the Arizona 3A state playoffs, Gilmore coached a senior-dominated team to a final four finish. The Lady Mustangs gave eventual state champs Snowflake all it could handle in a 3-0 loss.

That final four push was MV’s first trip to the state semifinals in nine years as the Mustangs erased some early-round heartbreaks from recent years.

MV finished the season at 17-1 overall, which excludes all regular season tournaments.

The selection of the 2023 Navajo Times Volleyball Player of the Year was a challenging one. Like in years past, we’ve asked coaches to help select a POY as part of their nominations since the Times’ cannot attend all of the games in person.

This year the pool of deserving players topped at 10 with Monument Valley’s Adriana Dominguez and Santa Fe Indian’s Maria Begay receiving the most votes.

Dominguez finished the Lady Mustangs season with 60 aces, 698 receptions, 72 assists and 446 digs. She was named to the First Team, 3A North and 3A Conference Teams. She was also the 3A North and 3A Conference Defensive Player of the Year.

Begay led SFIS in team kills and serving percentage, and she was second in digs.

As the team captain, Begay average 4.02 kills per set with a .440 hitting percentage. She also recorded 72 blocks and 2.8 digs per set. She also tallied 46 service aces.

She was named to the First-Team, All-District and 3A All-State Team. Begay was selected to play in the New Mexico High School Coaches Association’s All-Star game late last month.