Isabella Merlino '27 Recruiting Profile

Hi! I just want to start out by saying thank you so much for reading my personal statement. I am a Sophomore at Ithaca High School in Ithaca, Michigan, who hopes to compete at a college level after high school. Within high school, I have learned that spending time with family, friends, focusing on academics, and competing in sports are some of the most important things right now, as well as pushing myself in all of these aspects. I am very grateful for all of the opportunities I have had to prove myself and for the people who have pushed me to do so well throughout my life and not just in sports. 

Since starting high school, I’ve quickly come to learn that Track and Field has been my favorite sport. For the past 3 years I have been a member of the Ithaca Track and Field teams as a Shot Putter. In 7th grade I first started throwing for the junior high team and quickly broke the 7th grade record and medaled in many meets I threw in. My PR for the season was 32’6”. At the 2nd meet of the 2022 Track Season, I had qualified for Mid Michigan Mega Star meet, where I took 33rd out of 53, with a throw of 31’6”. My 8th grade year, I continued to throw and qualified to the Mid Michigan Mega Star Meet at the very first meet of the 2023 season. At Mega Star, I placed 22nd out of 46 with a. throw of 33’0.25” This year I also broke my own records and PR by throwing 33’8”.  Last year as a Freshman, I began to throw for Ithaca’s High School Track team, where I was quickly established as a Varsity thrower and met some of my favorite people to this day. With the help of many of my fellow throwers and coaches, Daryl Dawe and Josh Macha, I finally got the training I needed to improve as a thrower. During this time, I learned many new throwing techniques and had PR of 32’11”. I was also very lucky to have competed with my team at the 2024 MITCA D3 Team State, in which we placed 5th. At the end of the year, my coach, Daryl Dawe, presented me with the Ithaca Yellowjackets Athletic Award for Rookie of the Year in Throws, for not only my work in the ring but also my dedication, studying of the sport, and the constant desire to always improve. Also during my freshman year, I realized my PR was only 4’3.75” away from our school record, which hasn’t been broken since 1997. This then prompted me to make my current goal which is to break the school record by my senior year. I cannot wait for the next 3 years I get to spend throwing on such an amazing team with amazing people and coaches. I am also very thankful for all the love and support my family, friends, coaches, and teammates have shown to me. You all are the best and I love you all so much! 

When I’m not in the ring, you will find me spending time with family, friends, or the Lord, playing out on the Volleyball Court, or training for Shot Put. The older I get, the more I realize how important it is to be with the people you love. Most weekends I spend time with my family doing something fun, or just by having a quiet weekend with them. I also do this with my friends. About a year ago, God has become the most important thing to me because I know that without him, I wouldn’t be where I am now, so I also spend time reading the Bible, praising him, and going to church. Other than Track, I have played Volleyball for the past 3 years. In 8th grade, I got to play a full year without injuries just learning the basics. My freshman year, I became a right side hitter and played a little less than half of the season due to tearing my Labrum. This of course did effect my Shot Put career, but with help, I was able to strengthen the muscles around it without surgery and push on in both Shot Put and Track. This year, I was able to play for our JV volleyball team as a right side hitter for a little over half the season, until I got a concussion. So although I have faced many injuries during Volleyball, I’ve still had so much fun playing on a team that is like a family and i’m very thankful I have been fine for Shot Put. The final thing I enjoy during in the off-season is training for the Track Season. During the off-season, I spend 5 days a week doing weight training, doing cardio, and improving my throwing techniques. I also pay a great amount to my nutrition and building plans to help me get better. I also watch many videos and study what I need to work on and how to improve my throwing. 

Academically, I have always succeeded expectations. I have been an all A’s student for my entire life and have had a GPA of 4.2 for the past 2 years. I have passed all of my classes and even some with over 100%. Last year I took AP American History (2023-2024) and passed my exam with a 3 in May. This year I am currently taking AP World History and passing with an A. I have also been awarded certificates of excellence in Math, English, Science, History, and PE. My teachers have also complimented my drive and excellence in all classes as well as my personality and ability to work with others and take criticism. In college, I am interested in studying Architecture and possibly becoming an Architectural and Engineering Manager or an interior designer. I am definitely hoping one I will be able to achieve this and be accepted into a great college for this. 

Again, thank you so much for reading about little about me and my achievements. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me! Have a blessed day!