How much of a leader is Mother McAuley junior Gigi Navarrete?
Mighty Macs coach Jen DeJarld doesn’t have to count the ways.
It’s simply all of them.
“She’s our vocal leader,” DeJarld said. “She’s our emotional leader. She leads by example, physically.”
And the Northwestern recruit is a real McAuley rarity as a junior captain.
“I told the team, ‘You don’t have to just vote for a senior to be the team captain,'” DeJarld said. “I told them to vote for someone who you think is a good representation of the team and someone you can trust. She was one of the first kids we’ve ever had voted to be a captain as a junior.”
The 5-foot-6 libero did her share and more Tuesday for the host Mighty Macs in a 25-11, 25-20 nonconference victory over Sandburg in Chicago.
Navarrete had 10 digs and seven service points for McAuley (7-1). Ellie White added 10 kills, 11 digs and four aces, while Caroline Macander contributed 19 assists and Maeve Moonan notched five kills.
Sidona Rao tallied eight kills for Sandburg (2-4). Keira Fitzgerald added 18 assists, while Reilly Chausse had 18 digs and Sydney Vrdolyak made four blocks.
Navarrete has been starting on the varsity since the early part of her freshman season. In a sophomore season shortened due to the coronavirus pandemic, she had 125 digs and 11 aces.
Her performance earned her a college offer she couldn’t refuse.
“It feels so good to just be done and feel the right way,” Navarrete said. “I went on a couple of visits and I just fell in love with Northwestern and the campus. The coaches and the players were a big deal for me.
“It was just so motivating. In the Big Ten, I know I’m going to compete a lot and have my mind set at the highest level it can be.”
During Tuesday’s match against Sandburg, Navarrete made a handful of head-first dives to the floor for digs.
“These elbow pads help a lot,” Navarrete said, laughing. “I’m like, ‘Don’t let the ball hit the floor.’ That’s my mentality and I try to live up to it.”
The excitement she brings with her defense is not lost on those around her.
“She is one of those teammates who just brings energy every day,” Macander said. “She never really has an off day. And if you’re having an off day, she notices it right away and lifts you back up.
“She just does it by her actions. How she celebrates your play. And just the kind word she says to you before a match. She has everyone’s back no matter what.”
Call it a daily dose of positivity.
“I’m a big talker,” Navarrete said. “I’ve always been a talker. A lot of people lean on me for talking and being a motivator.
“I just feel like saying one good thing about everyone to make their day and get them in the right mindset before a match. I think it really, really helps.”
Navarrete has grown in more ways than just court sense and leadership.
“She looked like kind of an eighth grader freshman year,” DeJarld said. “The muscle she has put on, the hard work she has done off the court, has been tremendous. And it’s paid off.”
Navarrete doesn’t know how much she can lift, but she definitely feels stronger.
“I can feel it the way I run the court,” Navarrete said. “I’ve been really working hard. All the lifting we’ve been doing with our trainer has gotten me stronger in the legs, and faster.
“Coach DeJarld is really pushing us all hard — really making my mindset change for the better and making me feel super, super tough.”
