HARLINGEN — Grace Bell made it official this week when she signed her name on the dotted line to play tennis at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio.
“I have a friend who’s playing tennis over there at St. Mary’s and he introduced me to the coach, and we got along well,” Bell said after a ceremony at the South library on Wednesday.
“I was then invited for a visit, and I got to meet the team and see the campus. Everyone was like one big family.”
Bell was a four-year varsity member at South and put together a strong career. She was a part of four straight district team titles and won three individual league championships as well.
“When I first started playing tennis, I wasn’t sure about playing at the college level,” she said. “I’ve been working really hard the last few years to get to this point and it’s truly a blessing to be able to play at the next level.”
The transition from becoming a high school athlete to a college athlete can be challenging, but it’s a task Bell is prepared for.
“Not being with my family will be tough,” she said. “The competition is going to be tough because the girls up there are the real deal, but I’m excited for the challenge.
“My best memory here (at South) was a few years ago when we went to a tournament and almost beat New Braunfels. We lost the match, but we played so well and went toe-to-toe with one of the best in the state.”
Bell plans to major in marketing once she hits campus later this fall.
