After finding loads of success on the pitch over the past two seasons, four Southwest Women's Soccer players will now get the chance to continue their athletics and academics on the four-year level after all recently signed with NAIA programs.

Kayla Martin is staying in the state and will play at William Carey, Maylee McLeod is headed to Pineville, Louisiana to play at Louisiana Christian, Gabby Venable will suit up for Mount Mercy University in Iowa and Holly-Bo Dunning moves on to Campbellsville University in Kentucky. 

Martin has made a huge impact in the last two seasons, leading the team in scoring in both. In the 2023 campaign, she had 10 goals and one assist for a total of 21 points and followed that up with another 21 points last season on nine goals and three assists.

She said that when it came time to pick a four-year program to attend, the choice to head to Hattiesburg was an easy one for her.

"I loved the campus, I loved the environment, I loved the coaches," she said. "I actually knew of the head coach because he played with my brother's high school coach. I (also) heard good things about William Carey."

Looking back on the past two seasons, Martin – a native of Luling, LA -- said that she chose the right path by coming to Southwest.

"It just meant so much to me. I'm so glad that I went this route and came to Southwest," she said. "It really helped me grow as a person."

Like Martin, McLeod also found plenty of success on the pitch for the Lady Bears. Over the past two seasons she has recorded five goals and six assists for a total of 16 points.

The Laurel-native said that she looks forward to the challenge of playing at LC.

"I know that there are a lot of girls from out of the country playing and I love that aspect," she said. "And just playing at a higher-ranked conference."

In addition to the success that she found on the field, McLeod is thankful for her experience that she had during the past two years in Summit.

"I'm very thankful because it gave me some of the sweetest friendships that I will ever have and cherish for a very long time," she said. "I couldn't have asked for a better JUCO experience with my coaches and everything."

Dunning, a native of Blackpool, England, simply said that she is excited for the next step in her career, playing in Kentucky.

Over the past two seasons, she made a name for herself as a stellar defender for the Lady Bears and even though she was mostly known for her defense, she did record an assist in each of the past two seasons.  

Another who is headed north to continue her playing career is Gabby Venable. She looks at the move of playing up north in the State of Iowa as a challenge, but one she is ready to take on.

"I'm really just looking to grow as a player and a person," she said. "I've never really left Mississippi so this is going to be a big step in becoming who I want to be as a person. I feel like this is a great opportunity and I am grateful for it."

Venable adds that she is thankful for her time at Southwest in helping her improve her game. She finished last season with five goals and two assists for 12 points.

Southwest head coach Nicole Cooper was all smiles watching four of her players sign on with the four-year programs.

"Our number one goal is that we want everybody to continue their education but getting the opportunity to play is just an incentive and it shows the hard work and determination and everything it takes to be a next-level athlete," she said. "It doesn't matter how many girls we send every year, it is the ones who want to continue to play, getting the opportunity."