Nealy Awarded Debra J. Holmes Scholarship

University of Louisville women's tennis player Arielle Nealy has been named the first scholarship recipient of The Debra J. Holmes Scholarship.

There were 48 applications submitted, and five were selected for the final round of interviews.

"Arielle's vision is clear, and her self-awareness as a young Black women is undeniable. She maintains a 4.0 GPA while competing in the ACC as a tennis player. Her future goals include to enter the world of sports medicine as an administrator and focus on healthcare, DEI, bridging the gap in areas like nutrition, and establishing community based programs (just to name a few)," said Dr. Marlene Holmes, Debra's niece.

Arielle is a graduate student from Buffalo, N.Y. where she was a graduate of City Honors School at Fosdick-Masten Park and was an outstanding prep player. She transferred to Louisville from Florida A&M where she won numerous conference honors.

This scholarship honors Debra J. Holmes. Ms. Debra Holmes was a Division I tennis player, college graduate, and entrepreneur. In her memory, this scholarship is designed to support current Black female collegiate athletes preparing for their future and transition from college athletics.

The $1,550 will be awarded to a current full-time collegiate student-athlete who is academically either a current or rising sophomore, junior, or senior enrolled in a full-time program. In addition, all applicants must be currently competing on a sports team at an accredited college or university.

The top applicants participate in a 30-minute virtual interview with the founder and CEO, Marlene Holmes, Ph.D.Candidate, MSW.

University of Louisville Athletics

Players Mentioned

Arielle Nealy

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