Central’s Lexi Templin signs with Hardin-Simmons University to continue soccer career

Former Central high school girls’ soccer captain Lexi Templin signed with Hardin-Simmons University on Wednesday to continue her soccer career at the colligate level.

Templin is coming off her senior season in which she earned a spot on the 2-6A all-district team and lead the team to a bi-district championship over El Paso Eastwood. She also was the recipient of the Hollins Award which is voted on by her peers.

“She embodies what it is to be a Lady Cat soccer player,” Central girls soccer coach Benjamin Henry said. “She’s an exceptional young lady on and off the field. She takes care of business. She has an extremely hard work ethic, and it shows and it kind of trickles down to all the young girls as well over the years … (the other athletes) see that and so even when she’s graduated and off and running and doing her own separate thing, they remember the impact that she’s had.”

Templin played soccer all four years at Central and was named Newcomer of the Year as a freshman in 2020. Since then, she has earned multiple all-district honors and wanted to celebrate those accomplishments with her signing party.

“I’ve had a lot of people in my corner throughout my entire life,” Templin said. “Friends, family, coaches teammates, all of the above, my community, and just seeing them here and trying to get them to know that they have all made an impact on my life.”

Since she was eight, Templin went to Hardin-Simmons soccer camps and grew up around the Abilene area. She did not initially plan on playing soccer in college and wanted to focus on starting her career. But in her last camp before her senior year, the new coach at Hardin-Simmons asked her if she wanted to play there after her senior year. For Templin, it was Hardin-Simons or nothing.

“I was like, you know what, I could see myself playing here,” Templin said. “The atmospheres, the surroundings, it’s absolutely amazing…when (the coach) gave me the offer, I was ecstatic.”

This article originally appeared on San Angelo Standard-Times: Central’s Lexi Templin signs with Hardin-Simmons University