Velazquez, Vela Lead Laredo Girls Basketball Awards
Laredo Morning Times names its preseason All-City girls basketball award winners for the 2026-27 season across UISD and LISD.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Basketball
The Laredo Morning Times has published its preseason All-City girls basketball awards, selecting one MVP, Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Newcomer of the Year and Coach of the Year for both UISD and LISD. Katia Velazquez of United and Kassandra Vela of United South are among the honorees.
Why it matters
The preseason selections give Laredo girls basketball fans a snapshot of the players expected to shape the city's competitive landscape this season. The picks also highlight how returning production and new talent are distributed across the eight city teams.
Vela averaged 19.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 3.0 steals per game last season, while Velazquez posted 12.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.8 steals and 0.7 blocks per game. Whether these averages carry over into the new season has not yet been tested.
The players
Katia Velazquez
A junior at United and the defending All-City and District 30-6A Defensive Player of the Year, expected to be among the city's top post players this season.
Kassandra Vela
A senior at United South who was named All-City Offensive Player of the Year and District 30-6A co-MVP after averaging 19.6 points per game last season.
Ale Perez
A senior at St. Augustine and first-team All-City selection last year, who helped end the school's 18-year playoff drought.
The details
Velazquez, a junior at United, is the defending All-City and District 30-6A Defensive Player of the Year, while Vela, a senior at United South, is the All-City Offensive Player of the Year and District 30-6A co-MVP. Ale Perez, a senior at St. Augustine, was a first-team All-City pick last year and is projected to control the offense as point guard.
Timeline
Last season: Velazquez, Perez, Vela and Carmona posted the 2025-26 statistics and honors cited in the selections.
Two years ago: Perez helped end St. Augustine's 18-year playoff drought.
Nov. 7: Lopez and Lozano's teams open the season against each other.
Season Trajectory
St. Augustine's playoff breakthrough two years ago, led in part by Ale Perez, sets up the team as a contender this season. The preseason projections place it in strong position for a postseason return.
Fans tracking the season can use the preseason picks to follow Velazquez, Vela and Perez as the city's key returning players. The awards give a baseline for judging early-season performance against last year's averages.
The takeaway
Readers following Laredo girls basketball can use these preseason selections as a guide to the players and programs to watch when games begin. Early results will show whether last season's production holds up across the city.
What happens next
The 2026-27 season opens Nov. 7 with Lopez and Lozano's teams facing each other.
Further reading
Follow more local coverage in Basketball for updates on the Laredo girls teams as the season opens.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Laredo Morning Times.
