The text message from Mississippi State coach Neil Macdonald arrived around 10 Monday morning.

When Mary Clare Scurria flipped open her cell phone, she found out she was on her way to becoming a Division I soccer player.

&#8220I started jumping up and down and screaming,” Scurria said. &#8220I ran downstairs and told my mom. It was a lot of relief, but mostly excitement.”

Scurria, a May graduate of Warren Central, had her sights set on playing for the Bulldogs. But until Saturday’s Mississippi Association of Coaches all-star game at Hinds Community College, Macdonald had not seen her play.

The game served as a tryout for Scurria, who was hoping Macdonald would give her a chance to walk-on at Mississippi State.

&#8220During the first five minutes, that was probably the worst soccer I’ve ever played in my life just because I was so nervous,” said Scurria, the 2007 Vicksburg Post Player of the Year. &#8220But then as the game went on I got into my routine and everything went well from there.”

In Macdonald’s third season as Mississippi State’s coach in 2006, the Bulldogs went 2-16 including a 1-10 record in Southeastern Conference games. Because of NCAA rules, coaches aren’t allowed to comment on potential walk-ons or unsigned recruits.

Scurria plans to report to Starkville on July 6 to take a strength and conditioning class in preparation for the Bulldogs’ preseason camp.

In Starkville, Scurria will be reunited with Andrea Harrison, a St. Aloysius graduate who will be a sophomore for the Bulldogs. Scurria and Harrison grew up playing soccer together in Vicksburg.

Kristin Gough, the former Warren Central girls’ soccer coach, said the speed of play at the college level – especially Division I – is much faster than in high school. And Gough would know, having played at Florida for one year before transferring to Ole Miss during her college career.

But while Scurria will need to raise the level of her game, Gough said, she is an impact player who has the ability to adjust.

&#8220She was always working hard at practices and she was so competitive,” Gough said. &#8220Whenever the team ran, she was going to finish first. Whenever she had to compete against somebody, she was going to win.”

That desire should help Scurria in college, but she said she’s not taking anything for granted. As a walk-on, she knows there’s no guarantee of playing time.

&#8220I’m going to have to get out there and work really hard and prove myself,” Scurria said. &#8220It’s definitely going to be tough.”