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Art Vandalay

Daniel High School's Maria Hill signs a letter-of-intent to row at Clemson University on Thursday in Central. She is joined by (seated, left to right)) Daniel volleyball coach Joy Stewart, mother Jean Hill, and (standing, left to right) Daniel athletic director Dusty Oates, brother Hoke Hill III and father Hoke Hill Jr.

CENTRAL — Growing up on the shores of Lake Hartwell, Maria Hill often saw the Clemson rowing team go past her family’s dock, but never gave it a second thought.

Being a part of that team used to be the furthest thing from her mind, but after years of hearing she’d be a good candidate for rowing while she dreamed of playing volleyball at the collegiate level, the Daniel High School senior inked with the Tigers’ rowing team on Thursday afternoon in Central.

Hill has been a member of the Lions’ basketball, soccer and volleyball teams during her high school career, and it was always assumed she would be able to pursue a lengthy career in volleyball.

But during Daniel’s second game of the volleyball season on Sept. 5, Hill tore her ACL, which made for, at times, a frustrating senior year.

“My plan all along – ever since I started playing volleyball – was to play volleyball in college, but when I hurt my knee this year, I realized I wouldn’t be able to do that,” she said.

Hill had surgery to repair her ACL a month later on Oct. 5, causing her to miss basketball season, but she was cleared to join the Lions’ soccer team on March 10, and was able to help Daniel to a second-place finish in region play.

And although her competitive play was limited this year, Clemson took serious notice of Hill when she was awarded the Wendy’s High School Heisman award, as the Tigers’ coaching staff began getting in touch with her through e-mail.

It didn’t come as a big surprise for Hill, who had long heard that a team like Clemson would be interested in her.

“For the past few years, people have been saying, ‘You should looking into rowing and you’d be a good candidate for rowing,’ and I never really paid attention to it,” she said.

Hill then finally got a look at Tigers’ new facilities, which have been rated among the top in the country, and her decision to row in addition to her studies at Clemson was made easy.

“This year when I went to go visit the boathouse and go on my recruiting visit, I actually went to some of their practices and got to see them in action, and it seemed really awesome,” she said.

Hill will actually be the second member of her family to be on a Clemson varsity team, as her brother Brian, a Daniel alum, is a member of the Tigers’ football team after walking on to the team a little more than a year ago.

Joining her brother at Clemson is something Hill is looking forward to, as she is excited about donning the orange and white after growing up around Clemson athletics for as long as she can remember.

“A lot of people have asked, ‘What got your brother into playing Clemson football?’” she said. “But it’s a good story and he’s enjoying it, so hopefully I can share in the Clemson athletic experience with him.”

Hill will enter Clemson in August, and major in biological sciences, with a minor in Spanish.