Several members of this year’s graduating class have already received scholarships to continue playing sports at the collegiate level.

Senior Hope Russell signed with St. Mary’s University in San Antonio as a pitcher for the softball team. Russell’s athleticism, combined with her academic success, has helped her earn a scholarship that will cover 85 percent of her college funds. While there, she plans to major in Biochemistry.

“I’m really looking forward to playing softball at the collegiate level,” she said. “Ever since I was young, I’ve always had the dream of playing in college and now I’m here. St. Mary’s is a Catholic university and I’m Catholic. I want college to not only help me advance my education but also my relationship with God.

Another Lady Bear planning to attend college to play softball is senior Taylor Fraccastoro, who has signed with Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches.

SFA offered Fraccastoro a full-ride scholarship and she took no time to accept the position as catcher.

“They have a great softball program,” she said about SFA.

While attending college, Fraccastoro will also major in Pre-Physical Therapy.

Haley Mills will also go on to play softball at Tyler Junior College as short stop. Along with playing softball, she will also be studying Kiniesiology so she can be a softball coach one day.

There have also been several male athletes who have signed to play at the collegiate level. Senior Dalton Doyle has signed with Belhaven University, Trent Manuel signed with McNeese State University, and Bradley Bergeron signed with Howard Payne University to be a linebacker for the Yellow Jackets. Bergeron will be going into the HPU football program. He was offered a partial scholarship and will be studying Sports Science.