Determined, extremely hardworking, so very kind, good-spirited and comical; those are the words that come to mind when hearing the name of Senior Bella Naddeo. She demonstrates what it means to be not only a well-rounded person but also an exceptional student-athlete. 

Naddeo became a Hiller her Freshman year and has left a positive mark on her journey to her senior year. Joining the JV tennis team sophomore year, it didn’t take long for her to start serving up wins. By senior year, she was #2 on the varsity first-team and a W&J tennis commit. Putting in countless hours with Coach Stoner throughout the summer months, this achievement took many hours of dedication to improvement. 

Stoner stated, “Since Bella joined the team she has been very dedicated on and off the court. She has spent a great deal of time playing the game that I think she loves with her mom and friends.” 

Playing with her since she was 10, Naddeo’s mom has played a large role in shaping her into the tennis player she is today. Naddeo mentioned that her mom’s constructive criticism  has encouraged and inspired her to be a better player.  Over the years she has grown as a person in regards to becoming more confident and more competitive in the game as well as in herself. She loves the game of tennis because it can be played as a team but also is an adrenaline-filled, strong intrapersonal competitive sport. She likes that it can be very strategic and competitive compared to a contact sport. It is easily accessible as tennis courts can be found at parks and schools, enabling her family to play and spend time together, but also it is a long-term participation sport.

 Naddeo plans to play tennis throughout her life and is open to sharing her skills with upcoming players through a program at W&J that works with the LeMoyne Center. Appreciative of the strong friendships and relationships built through the sport and team, she will miss being a Hiller but is excited to meet new people and develop new relationships during her time at W&J. 

Her favorite memories from tennis include bus rides to games, theme day practices, visiting Sarris Ice Cream after section doubles and Stoner yelling, “What are you doing?” at her. Her goals as a tennis player at W&J include winning the PAC conference championship as a team and to continue improving on serve and match performance. 

Stoner is optimistic about Naddeo’s future stating, “Determination will lead her to be a better player as time goes on because of her love for the sport,” and plans to continue to follow her on her journey and work with her in the summers.

Why is W&J  the perfect match for Naddeo (besides being able to say she was a President)? Naddeo describes the school as a close-knit community with a pristine reputation for academics and collegiate athletics. She also appreciates that the school is not very far from home. 

Not only successful on the court, Naddeo is impressive in the classroom, as well. She has maintained a 4.2 GPA throughout her high school career and is active in the community with volunteer work and other extracurricular activities/clubs. A varsity swimmer, Naddeo is also considering swimming at W&J. She will major in biology, minor in psychology, and is on the track to be a physical therapist. She’s got it all! 

Quite the compliment Stoner stated, “Bella will attain whatever goals she sets on and off the court if she continues to work hard.”

Naddeo is a GIRLBOSS and someone anyone would be proud to call a friend. As she has proven thus far, she will be successful in all her impressive future endeavors and we wish her only the best of luck.