Four women who trailblazed a path in sports in McAllen ISD were inducted into the Hall of Honor at the 40th annual City of Palms Clinic on January 24, 2026, in McAllen.
There were six inductees including four with McAllen ISD connections. They are Coach Maria (Lupe) Soza, Coach Teresa Casso, Coach Paula Dodge and former Athletic Director Paula Gonzalez.
Soza coached track & field plus cross country at McAllen High for 14 years in the 1970s-80s and later coached at James “Nikki” Rowe High for 24 years. Her McAllen ISD teams have won 26 district titles and she has guided 16 state qualifiers.
Casso coached girls basketball for 32 years at McAllen High winning 841 games. Her teams produced winning seasons in 29 of those 32 campaigns.
In volleyball, Dodge won 584 matches in 25 years at McAllen High, starting in 1996. Her teams earned playoff berths 19 times and advanced to the Regional Tournament six times.
Gonzalez, who spent three decades coaching volleyball, served as McAllen ISD’s first female Athletic Director from 2012-22.
Additional honorees included Coach Maria Del Carmen Hernandez of Pharr and Coach Nora Zamarripa of Harlingen.
CAPTION FOR PHOTO
Pictured, left to right, are six women who were inducted into the City of Palms Clinic on January 24, 2026. They are Coach Maria (Lupe) Soza of McAllen, Coach Teresa Casso of McAllen, Coach Maria Del Carmen Hernandez of Pharr, Coach Nora Zamarripa of Harlingen, Coach Paula Gonzalez of Brownsville and Coach Paula Dodge of McAllen.