The world of college athletics has changed a lot in the past few years. Most notably, conference realignment, NIL, and the transfer portal have all vastly altered the landscape of college sports. But one aspect that remains the same is the pure joy that a player experiences when receiving a surprise scholarship.
No matter what sports are in season, videos of surprise scholarship announcements make the rounds on social media on a frequent basis. Coaches and teammates plan out how the announcement will be made, often creatively, with the camera rolling on the recipient to capture the joyous reaction. It never gets old.
Earlier this week, LSU volleyball defensive specialist/libero Ella Hemmings received a surprise announcement following a practice at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center: She was getting a scholarship.
The moment Ella realized she was being put on scholarship! pic.twitter.com/mtmsf4e6iY
— LSU Volleyball (@lsuvolleyball) September 3, 2025
LSU volleyball player Ella Hemmings get surprise scholarship
After reading the news on a piece of paper, Hemmings' face turned from initial confusion to pure elation. Her teammates erupted in excitement and quickly surrounded her in celebration. Hemmings then made the rounds of hugs with her teammates and coaches.
The element of surprise and "gotcha" reveal make for a powerful video. Hemmings' hard work and dedication has been rewarded, and all of her teammates got to join in delivering the good news.
Hailing from Brownsburg, IN, Hemmings appeared in 47 matches and 154 sets during her freshman and sophomore seasons in 2023 and 2024. She earned 2023-24 First-Year SEC Academic Honor Roll and 2024 Fall SEC Honor Roll accolades in her first two seasons in Baton Rouge. Last season, she totaled 71 digs and 26 assists with one ace and one kill. She's appeared in all three games to begin the 2025 season, collecting 13 digs.