With less than a month to go as Clarkston High School seniors, athletes Kristina Lucas and Liz Zezula know where they are heading after graduation day ? college.
Both signed their letters of intent on April 26. Lucas heads west to Grand Valley State University to play tennis and Zezula heads south to Tiffin University in Ohio to play softball.
“It was really exciting to start a new chapter in my life,” said Lucas after signing. “I am excited to go there.”
“It was a great day,” said Becky Freeman, head coach for the girls varsity tennis team. “It was bitter-sweet. It will change the dynamics of the team because Kristina is a character and has a lot of personality. A lot of girls are sad, realizing next year she won’t be here but at the same time it is exciting for Kristina to start the next chapter in her life.”
Grand Valley State University stood out for Lucas because of their education program, tennis team and her family. Her sister Alyssa goes to the university and is also on the tennis team.
“It will be fun with my sister there,” said Kristina. “I know I will always have a friend there with me.”
She plans going into the special education program because she enjoys working in the field.
Zezula also chose Tiffin University for her field of study but a lot of other factors led her to choose to be a Dragon.
“I went down for a visit and I liked the small campus and the coach,” she explained. “I liked how he did things and the team. It is a good school for what I want to go into. I am thinking about going into terrorism and Homeland Security and they specialize in criminal justice.”
She has rotated positions while playing for Clarkston and for her travel team, and said she will play wherever the coach needs her to play.
“I am really excited to go to college, do something new and be part of a team there,” said Zezula. “It is a good thing for me and a good step in my life. I am pretty excited about it. It is a great school and I am excited about my education and the softball team is doing good. I will be part of a good team.”
Both started playing their sports when they were young and are happy to continue in college. But before they head off in the fall they are concentrating on finishing their senior seasons on a high note as state finals quickly approach.
“My goal is to be the best leader and captain I can be for my team and finish strong,” said Zezula. “Since I already have the future figured out I am playing to do well for the team.”
Right now both tennis and softball are doing well and used the April showers and game cancellations to their advantage by improving their skills.
“We have been doing great. We are coming together as a team well,” said Zezula. “Everyone is doing what they need to do and doing their part. Though it was raining a lot we were still getting in the gym and working at practice everyday.”
Catch the girls in action this week. Kristina and her teammates play Stoney Creek on Wednesday and Utica Eisenhower on Thursday, 4 p.m. Zezula and her teammates host West Bloomfield on Wednesday for a double-header, beginning at 4:30 p.m.