WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Ten female student athletes at The King's Academy committed to play sports in college next year, signing with schools across the country during an official signing day for the athletes and their families.
"Put it in ink, get it going, ship it out and it's finalized,” Tessa Broedell said.
The Lions committed to schools from Palm Beach Atlantic to Northwestern, Montana State and more. After years of hard work, countless hours of training and long practices, these 10 athletes are punching their ticket to the next level.
- Deionce Storey, Soccer, Newberry College
- Mia Mackrey, Soccer, Cleveland State University
- Gracyn Needle, Softball, University Of Tennessee.
- And Emma Pynes, Softball, University Of Tennessee.
- Caroline Duncan, Softball, Palm Beach Atlantic University
- Lily Stone, Softball, Elon Uninvienity
- Sammy Vanalstyne, Lacrosse, Florida Institute Of Technology
- Miranda Knoll, Volleyball, Northwestern University
- Lily Vance, Golf, Montana State University
- Tessa Broedell, Swimming, University Of Miami
"I'm looking forward to making it official," Deionce Storey said.
Soccer star Deionce Storey has been playing on the Lions varsity team since 6th grade.
“The King's Academy has been part of my athletic career since as long as I can remember, and I just love it here,” Storey said. “I've seen the program go from a really low point to last year, when we won states for the first time in school history.”
Leaving high school with a state title, Storey will continue her soccer success at Newberry College in South Carolina next year.
"It's a division two college and I'm really excited. I love the coaches, the team culture there, and I'm just excited," Storey said.
For the athletes, the ceremony was made even more special by sharing it with longtime friends.
"I'm so excited, especially because we've been friends with these girls for a very long time. It's really something special to have 10 female athletes signing up here at the same time. So, just getting to be surrounded by some of my best friends is really special," Gracyn Needle said.
On the softball field, both Gracyn Needle and Emma Pynes will head to one of the best college softball programs in the country, the University of Tennessee.
"Coach Karen, she's like a legend. So to be able to get to play for her, it's just really a dream come true," Pynes said.
"Not only that, but the legacy that the Lady Vol softball program holds, and especially that school for women's sports is something that I'm really looking to make an impact in and looking forward to being a part of," Needle said.
In the pool, 6 time individual district champion Tessa Broedell is signed to swim for University of Miami.
“I love the team there. They're so sweet. All the girls are so supportive and I swim with all guys right now. So to have girls, just an all-girls team is going to be super exciting. And they're very nice. So I'm very excited,” Broedell said.
At a school where trophy cases are packed full of hardware, athletic accolades are no accident. While these 10 athletes are excited to play in college next year, a few of them are eyeing one more high school trophy before they go.
