Lily Bella Commits To Tarleton State University

After years of relentless training, high-level competition and unwavering dedication to the game, Lily Bella has committed to continue her soccer career at the Division I level at Tarleton State University as a center forward and attacking midfielder. Her decision marks a major milestone: not just for herself, but for John F. Kennedy High School’s entire athletic body.

She first started at the age of four, with her parents enrolling her into a soccer league. After that, she fell in love with the sport and further decided to pursue it. A versatile and flexible player, Bella has spent years working to play Division I, with countless sacrifices such as not being able to go hang out with her friends or attend family gatherings. This perseverance ultimately caught the attention of collegiate recruiters and led her to Tarleton, where she will compete at one of the highest levels of college soccer.

“I love playing soccer because the feeling of scoring a goal is such an irreplaceable feeling and so many of my best memories are from soccer, like going to the fields at seven in the morning and having fun with my teammates, learning new moves like a juggling skill and so many more,” mentioned Bella. “There are just so many of these beautiful memories.”

For Bella, Tarleton was her best fit because she wanted to go somewhere new and experience a new lifestyle. She understands that Texas will be very different from California, but wants to step out of her comfort zone. Tarleton’s buildings and accessibility for her major is truly astounding, and the athletic facilities are brand new and perfect for athletes like her.

Bella plans to major in nursing at Tarleton and then move on to physicians assistant schooling to help people feel safe in the hands of medical care.  Her decision marks a major milestone—not only in her athletic journey, but in a story defined by resilience, leadership and passion for the sport.

Photo from Lily Bella | Bella will attend Tarleton State for the fall.