Manzo selects Methodist University
Off the court, senior Melissa Manzo filled a pivotal role on the Cape Coral High girls’ basketball team this past season. She became the team jokester.
“(Melissa) was the goofball after we lost Tamara (Joyner),” said junior Alexiss Griffin said. “She brought a lot of fun to the team. We always had a good time.”
Griffin said when it came time to play, Manzo was as intense as they come. That carried over into her play, particularly as a leader on the defensive end.
The 5-foot-7 Manzo is set to continue her basketball career after signing a scholarship Wednesday to attend Methodist University in Fayetteville, N.C.
Manzo, who was joined at the signing ceremony by her mother, Camille, sister, Delana, and father, Mike, plans to play basketball at Methodist and pursue a degree in pre-med.
“The school is really nice. It’s homely,” Manzo said, “and the team there is like my team here.”
With the Seahawks, Manzo was a four-year member of the varsity team. Though regarded as one of the top athletes, Manzo took an unselfish approach and did a lot of the little things. They proved key in helping the Seahawks post records of 17-9 and 17-11 the past two seasons.
“She was always a good athlete and she was determined to be a great ball player,” coach Olivia Myers said. “She basically did whatever we told her to do.”
Myers said Manzo set a good example for the younger players with her hard work on and off the court.
“What makes me most proud is she worked very hard on the court and in the classroom,” Myers said. “I don’t think her GPA was ever below 3.5. We all think sports, sports, sports and that’s just not the case.”