Years from now this question could be included in a Tipton Christian Academy-themed Trivial Pursuit game: Who was the first TCA student to sign an athletic scholarship?
Answer: Senior Emory Braswell, who signed a volleyball scholarship on Nov. 15 with Hillsdale College, a DII school located in Southern Michigan.
TCA does not have a varsity volleyball team just yet, but that didn’t stop Braswell, an Atoka native, from drawing the attention of the Hillsdale coaching staff. She sent them an e-mail highlighting her success with Memphis Metro, a club team, and they liked what they saw.
“Most people play high school volleyball, but because I play for a really good competitive club team it wasn’t too difficult,” said Braswell. “College coaches normally look at you during club season anyway.”
Like TCA, Hillsdale is a small Christian school with an enrollment of about 1,500.
“I was looking for a school like them,” Braswell said. “They are really good academically and they have a good volleyball program.”
Braswell was joined at the signing by all of her TCA high school classmates, family members and some of her Memphis Metro teammates.
“It was exciting, pretty special being the first athlete here to sign.”
