Elise Held was one of those kids who entered her teenage years knowing exactly what she wanted to do after graduating from high school.

And she's going to do just that.

Held, a senior at Vincentian Academy who lives near Saxonburg in the South Butler School District, has long strived to play tennis at a Division I college while majoring in pre-med at a highly respected academic institution.

Held fulfilled both objectives by signing a letter of intent to accept a scholarship to attend Davidson College in North Carolina.

"It was a long process," Held said. "It started years ago with playing tennis, and my goal was always to go to Division I school, especially one with high academics.

"It was definitely a tough decision, that's for sure. But Davidson is the perfect choice for me because of everything -- the location, the academics and the tennis. Finally, my search for a college is over. And I feel good about it."

Despite not taking up tennis until she was 10 -- considered late for a player who has reached her level of proficiency -- Held proved herself as one of the top female junior players in the area.

She currently holds a No. 24 ranking among girls 18 and under in the USTA's Middle States region that includes Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and parts of West Virginia. Her national ranking by the USTA is No. 284.

Held has had quite a scholastic tennis career, too. She won the WPIAL Class AA doubles championship as a freshman three years ago along with teammate Alena Tesone. The two were runners-up in that tournament the following year, placing fourth in the PIAA Class AA doubles tournament that followed.

As a junior in 2008, Held took the silver at the WPIAL Class AA singles tournament and the bronze in the PIAA. This season, Held placed fourth in the WPIAL singles.

She led Vincentian to the WPIAL team playoffs during each of her four years, including to the semifinals as a sophomore.

Frank Baritot is the director of tennis at the Pennsylvania Tennis Academy in Wexford, where Held has trained for about the past five years. He has been a teaching pro for more than 20 years and is familiar with players who have played at Davidson over the years.

"She has innate ability," Baritot said. "She still has work to do, and she's putting the time in to do it.

"I think her intelligence and her athletic ability gives her an edge that she can take with her to the next level. She covers the court well athletically and she has a solid stroke."

Held tried just about every sport growing up and actually found tennis to be among the most challenging to her when she finally took it up.

She first played at Butler Country Club under Whitney Snyder, who is the Sewickley Academy coach.

"Tennis is a unique sport," Held said. "You don't have a team out there with you and it's one-on-one. But I really enjoyed it [immediately] and I just wanted to beat whoever I was playing, and that pushed me to get better."

Held is an aggressive player with good power and a strong forehand. But she is, arguably, even stronger in the classroom, where she has posted a 4.87 GPA, thanks to weighted advance-placed courses.

Her interest in medicine comes out of her enjoying the sciences and a desire to help people. But Held's prospective career as a physician is still a few years away. For the next four years, tennis will remain a big part of her life.

"I'm definitely looking forward to being part of a team," Held said. "You don't get that in juniors. And I'm looking forward to improving my game and taking Davidson to the next level."

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