Taking a leap of faith is nothing new for BYU’s Gracie Levelston

Levelston leaped.

“The first time I was getting recruited, I had no idea what college or the recruiting process was like,” she said. “This second time around, I was going to have a really supportive coaching staff, good resources, I’m gonna love the team culture and I’m gonna be somewhere where I want to live for the next four years — and how I felt emotionally and my experiences on the visit would ultimately be the deciders.”

Shortly after arriving at BYU, Levelston discovered a supportive staff with committed resources. She fell in love with the mountains, and for a Vero Beach girl, that’s pretty significant. Then she met the team, including Avery Pope.

“I had a not-so-good experience with some people (during the visit) and one of the girls on the team, Avery Pope, instantly just stood up for me,” Levelston said. “I thought, ‘Wow, I’m not sure if anybody in my life has stood up for me like that.’ To see the love and the care that everybody here has, I felt at home.”

Not one to waste time, Levelston sat down in Hasler’s office at the end of the visit and committed to play for BYU. Six days later, she was Provo’s newest resident.

“The second I made the decision to switch, it was like, boom, boom, boom, everything fell into place.”

A second leap

Not long after her arrival, a second leap presented itself as Levelston was introduced to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“I attended church meetings at BYU, and it got to the point that I needed to pick a church,” she said. “I have this faith that is growing and I wanted to give it some direction.”

The feeling of “being home” returned.

“It was more of what was the same for me, the family values, the emphasis on service, how much people just care about each other and how kind they are,” she said. “That was something I wanted, and when it came to having a family that was eternal, that was something I had already believed in and I loved the fact that now there is something I could go through and do, and go to the temple to really solidify that for me and my family for eternity.”

Five months ago, after conducting her own research through myriad question-and-answer sessions with her friends and teammates, Levelston called the missionaries.

BYU's Gracie Levelston reacts after a made point during match Oct. 11, 2025. | Sydnie Alder, BYU Photo

“It wasn’t like I was reaching out to them so I could learn more, I had already been here a year and a half and (during) my first eight weeks I was just asking questions, asking questions, asking questions,” she said. “I needed to talk to the missionaries in order to get baptized.”

Levelston attacked the discussions and reading assignments like she plays her tennis — full speed ahead.

“We had a group chat. I would text them when I was reading scripture and give them my summaries. They would say, ‘OK. Can you read this (scripture) this week?’ I was like, ‘Actually, I already read that, can you give me a different one?’ I was kind of a little bit of a dream (investigator),” she laughed. “The thing that was foundational for me is the peace I felt when I started talking to the missionaries. I didn’t feel I was more stressed making that decision. I felt more at peace in taking those next couple of steps. My missionaries were amazing.”

On April 11, following BYU’s match against Arizona, Levelston was baptized with her team, and her mother, in attendance.

A third leap

Amid all the newness during the last two years, Levelston’s talent has flourished and she has catapulted the Cougars back into relevance. Last fall, she and teammate Kendal Kovick marched their doubles team into the NCAA’s Round of 16 — the furthest BYU has gone in 31 years.

During the spring season, the team captain went 14-5 in singles and led the Cougars to their highest ranking (No. 26) in 20 years and to the program’s second NCAA Tournament appearance since 2007.

“I think it sets the stage for what we can do. Coming in with this young team, it was like, ‘Hey, let’s do the best that we can and develop everybody,’” she said. “We had goals that we set out, but I don’t think we really expected this to happen. Making it to the NCAAs with this young of a team and having a little more seniority coming in over the next couple of years, I think BYU is going to be a team to watch.”

Levelston will be one to watch, too. Like AJ Dybantsa, Kihei Akina, Jane Hedengren, Bear Bachmeier, Ellie Walbruch, Delaney Gibb, Ezra McNaughton and many other elite athletes on campus, her goal is to compete professionally, and BYU is the launching pad to get there.

“To have achieved what I have in the last two years at BYU,” said Levelston on a journey that for her is still hard to believe. “I’m really proud of myself for taking that leap.”

Dave McCann is a sportswriter and columnist for the Deseret News and is a play-by-play announcer and show host for BYUtv/ESPN+. He co-hosts “Y’s Guys” at ysguys.com and is the author of the children’s book “C is for Cougar,” available at deseretbook.com.