Briana Venegas knew she wanted to play collegiate golf since the seventh grade.

Over the next six years, Venegas progressed with her game to catch the eyes of college coaches.

Venegas made that goal six years ago and it became a reality when she put pen to paper and inked her letter of intent to play golf at McLennan Community College in front of friends, family and teammates on Friday at the Permian High School Library.

“Each year it kind of increased my want to do it, so to be here today and sign was crazy,” Venegas said. “It was a dream come true.”

Rodney Roman — the head golf coach for the Lady Panthers — remembers seeing Venegas as a seventh-grader and he saw immediate potential.

In his five years at Permian, Venegas is the fourth golfer to sign to play in college. The Lady Panthers had three signees a year ago. Roman said it’s easy to keep his emotions in check during signings, but he knows there will be tears at the golf banquet.

“The thing that really got me was her work ethic,” Roman said about Venegas. “From there, you knew that she’s going to be good, because she’s going to work at it. She did it for four straight years.”

Venegas also received interest from Schreiner University, University of Texas at Dallas, University of Houston-Victoria and Texas A&M International.

The Permian senior felt a team atmosphere when she visited with McLennan Community College. The Highlassies compete in the North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference and they claimed their fifth straight NJCAA Region V Championship in 2017.

Venegas knows if she continues to perform at a high level there will be an opportunity to play at a four-year university.

“I knew that I didn’t want to be thrown into college golf,” 
she said. “I wanted to kind of settle into it. That’s why the junior college was a great choice for me.”

Venegas spent all four of her high school career at the varsity level. She helped Permian continue its postseason tradition and reach the regional tournament for four straight years.

During her final high school tournament, Venegas finished 24th for two-round total of 167 (83-84). The Lady Panthers placed in tie for 11th as a team (373-373—746).

Yet, Venegas’ contributions extended to more than a solid score.

She was the lone senior for the Lady Panthers as the rest of the group included two juniors, two sophomores and five freshmen. Roman said Venegas was willing help prepare a young squad.

“We talked at the beginning of the year and I told her ‘This is your year. We are young and you have to groom them,’” Roman said. “... She did a great job of being our leader. I couldn’t have asked anything else from her.”

Venegas hopes she left a positive impression on the underclassmen.

The Permian senior looked up the senior class in each of three years as an underclassmen and she hopes she helped the team to have continued success.

“That’s how every senior is, we all leave something,” she said. “I just hope whatever I left to these girls is going to carry on.”
