Buccaneers Name El Paso Alumna to Scholarship Class
Bellissa Marquez is one of four recipients of the $5,000 She is Football Scholarship, which honors female high school football athletes.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Football
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have named Bellissa Marquez a recipient of the She is Football Scholarship. Marquez is an El Paso ISD alumna and a graduate of the Young Women's STEAM Research & Preparatory Academy.
Why it matters
The national award recognizes female high school football athletes for academic excellence, leadership and passion for the sport. It highlights growing opportunities for young women in football and related fields.
The She is Football Scholarship carries a value of $5,000 and was awarded to four recipients. The extraction does not specify the total applicant pool or how selection ranked candidates.
The players
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The National Football League franchise based in Tampa, Florida, which selected Marquez as one of four scholarship recipients.
Bellissa Marquez
An El Paso ISD alumna and flag football co-captain who plans to pursue a sports business career expanding opportunities for young women.
The details
Marquez helped launch her school's flag football program and serves as co-captain of the team. She earned team MVP honors in 2025 and 2026 and is currently studying business analytics at the University of Denver.
Timeline
2025: Marquez earns team MVP honors.
2026: Marquez earns team MVP honors again.
November 9, 2026: The scholarship recipient announcement is published.
Roadmap
The She is Football Scholarship extends the NFL's She is Football initiative, which focuses on growing female participation in the sport at the high school level. Awards like this one connect athletic leadership with pathways into business and sports careers.
Girls' flag football programs at El Paso high schools may draw interest from players seeking leadership roles and scholarship opportunities. Families considering the sport can look to recognized awards like this one as signals of the pathways available.
The takeaway
Recognition programs like the She is Football Scholarship show that high school athletic leadership can translate into concrete financial support for college and career goals. Young women interested in sports careers can look to these awards as examples of the paths available beyond playing.
Further reading
Explore more Football coverage for context on women's participation in the sport.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KTSM 9 News.
