Star soccer player comes home

The coronavirus pandemic has had a bigger impact on Hailey Block than just forcing her to attend college online.

Last fall, Grafton High School’s all-time leading female goal scorer was named Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Year after a stellar season at Southeast Missouri State.

When school was closed in spring, Block came home and went to virtual classes.

“Ever since I got home from Southeast Missouri State with this coronavirus thing, I’ve had a lot of time to think,” she said.

“I love the community. There are a lot of people here that I love and who love me. It made me realize I wanted to be around them.”

Block had committed to Southeast Missouri State the summer before her junior year. She said she thought she wanted to go somewhere far away, and SEMO welcomed her with open arms.

“I had to go down there, experience it and learn more about myself,” she said.

While the people and experience at the school was great, “I didn’t see my life starting down there,” Block said.

Block entered the NCAA Transfer Portal, which allows other schools to recruit her. She had interest from Division 1, 2 and 3 schools across the country, but she wanted to be in Wisconsin or Illinois.

She reached out to Marquette University on her own and got accepted.

She was thrilled. So were her family and friends.

“Oh gosh, they’re so excited,” she said. “It was fun telling my grandparents, who couldn’t make the 7-1/2-hour trip (to SEMO) and now they can see me play.”

Block said she looks forward to working with Marquette’s new coach Frank Pelaez and in the university’s “fantastic” physical therapy program.

“It’s exciting to have something positive to look forward to,” she said.

Block scored eight goals and had an assist last season at SEMO. At Grafton High, she scored 94 goals.