As the second player to be signed out of the Grace Christian Academy volleyball program, senior Melissa Mills signed her letter of intent to Gulf Coast State College Tuesday.
“Out of all the schools I visited, this was the perfect fit,” Mills said. “I like the culture and the team. I’m very excited, and the fact that I’m going to the beach (is great) because that’s my favorite place.”
Mills begins her season as a Commodore this fall.
Friends, family and coaches gathered at GCA Tuesday to celebrate Mills’ signing. Teammates shared their memories with her and wished her luck in the future.
GCA volleyball coach Erwin Harrell expressed how pleased he was with Mills’ performance during his six years coaching her as a varsity player.
“Mellissa has been playing varsity since seventh grade,” Harrell said. “It was evident quite early that she was a player. I’ve enjoyed coaching her. She’s a fine young lady and a tremendous asset to our team.”
During the 2013 season, Mills and the Lady Cougar volleyball team won the GISA AA state volleyball championship in Augusta.
With her experience as a state champion and positive attitude, Harrell said he was excited to see her play at a collegiate level.
“Because of Melissa, I think we were able to take that next step in the GISA, not only because of her ability but because of how she challenged our young ladies and how she influenced them,” Harrell said. “She’s fun to coach, fun to be with and I’m going to miss her.”
Gulf Coast volleyball coach Kyle Peck said he was excited to have such a strong player join the team.
“I know she’s going to be a good asset to us as a teammate and also as a player,” Peck said. “People keep saying how great of her person she is, but just the limited amount of time that I’ve talked with her and known her, I already knew that. I’m hoping to see more of that the next couple years.”
Mills said although it would be hard to leave Bainbridge, she didn’t think she would have a problem adjusting.
“It’s going to be hard leaving here, but I don’t think it will be too hard of a transition,” Mills said.