Ella Maiden, Hamilton Heights senior, has signed a letter of intent to play tennis for Anderson University in Anderson, Indiana this fall. Anderson University is a member of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) and a NCAA Division III athletic institution. She is the daughter of Jennifer and Greg Maiden.
Anderson’s top-ranked nursing program, opportunity to play tennis at the collegiate level, and welcoming environment made AU an easy choice for Maiden, who plans to study nursing with the goal of working in the emergency room of a hospital and possibly continuing her education to become a physician’s assistant. She is also going to try out for the cheerleading team at AU.
Maiden, who served as the team captain for the past two years and named Academic All State in 2021, has come a long way from when she first started playing tennis in the sixth grade. “I barely made the team, but I loved the sport and was determined to improve my game,” recalls Ella Maiden, a four-year varsity member and a Husky Cheerleader. She began taking private lessons with Coach Mark Noe, put in a lot of practice time, and played in tournaments any time she could to help build her skill and technique on the court.
She credits her parents and her Mimi and Papa for encouraging her to do her best and their support with all the extra activities for tennis. She ways it was Mark Noe who helped her improved her game and Heights’ Tennis Coaches Wayne Rupe and Jeanann Dodson for not only helping her improve her game but for their role in developing her into the player she is today.
“Ella has been a critical asset for HUSKY TENNIS for four years,” said Wayne Rupe, Hamilton Heights High School Head Tennis Coach. “She demonstrates leadership on the court as well as in the classroom. She is respected by all her fellow teammates as well as the coaches for what she brings to HUSKY TENNIS every day. She will definitely be missed. Her continued success will be a plus for Anderson University. Always a HUSKY……”
“Ella has shown tremendous improvement over the course of her tennis career which is all attributed to her hard work and dedication to the sport,” added Kurt Ogden, Hamilton Heights High School Athletic Director. “She’s a great teammate and an awesome kid. We are very happy for Ella, and we wish her well as she takes her talents to Anderson University to play tennis.”
As the school year draws to a close, Maiden has been dedicating most of her extra time to improving herself in every way inside and outside the classroom as she readies for the next level. “I can’t wait to make new friends and study my passion this fall at Anderson University,” she added.