Longoria passes 1000 career digs

By Jacob Stock

Yorktown News-View

Over the last three and a half seasons, Yorktown High School senior libero Ayana Longoria has seen her fair share of touches and sets played on the varsity floor. It’s not just the volleyball court for Longoria, she also plays on the basketball and softball teams, while also running track making her a busy four-sport athlete. 

A four-year varsity letterman for the Kitty Kat volleyball program, Longoria recently notched her 1,000 career dig in a tournament win last Friday, Aug. 26, over Palacios at the Rice Consolidated Tournament. She tallied 85 total digs in the 19 sets played over the duration of the tourney. 

“It was such a memorable moment,” said Longoria about her milestone. “It was probably the best feeling in the world. Everyone on the bench was counting the digs out that I was getting. When it finally happened the game and we were all still playing, but when I got that dig everyone was just cheering. It was such a great moment.”

Longoria has seen her game evolve drastically over the years. Her journey to earning the libero position came back in her freshman season when coach Gomez handed her a shirt that was a libero jersey. On the volleyball court, you can often identify a libero by them having on a different color jersey than the rest of the five players on the court.

“Walking in as a freshman I had no clue what a libero was. I was a setter in Junior High. [Coach Gomez] was like here's a shirt, it’s a libero jersey, so I was just like okay I can do this, it’s not that hard,” said Longoria. “Then, I realized that this is a big job to do. Throughout these years I have learned as a player to understand that libero is the main job, so I have to get better through my teammates and try to do the best that I can.”

It has always been noticed, in the eyes of Longoria, that her coach has always seen something in her that uplifted her confidence.

“[Coach Gomez] has seen a lot in me, from being a freshman that doesn’t know anything to coming up as a varsity player she defiantly saw a lot in me. Even now she wants me to go play at the next level, she’s helping me get highlights together and with recruiting” said Longoria on her coach. 

Longoria gives credit to her five sisters that have helped her grow and gain knowledge on the court. Her sister Alexis Longoria was a libero for the Kitty Kat volleyball program when coach Irma Gomez arrived, helping find the role that would best suit Ayana when her time on the varsity level would arrive.

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