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There's a new Bachelorette calling the shots and her name is Michelle Young.
The 28-year-old kicked off Season 18 of the search-for-romance series on Tuesday (October 19) after being a contestant on Season 25 of The Bachelor which starred the franchise's first Black male bachelor, Matt James.
Though Young didn't win over James' heart, she's back and the ball is definitely in her court. As with other seasons, Young will have 10 weeks to interact with 30 suitors, with a one hopeful contestant taking home the prized final rose.
As the season gets underway, here are five facts you should know about the newest Bachelorette, Michelle Young.
She's from the Midwest
Michelle grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota with her parents, Ephraim and LaVonne and two siblings, Angela and Alex. Michelle's dad is Black and her mom is white. The couple retired in 2017 and enjoyed traveling, according to LaVonne's Facebook page.
She's a Former Division I Basketball Player
Michelle graduated from Woodbury High School in 2011. Standing at 5 foot 9 inches, the "lightning-fast guard" earned a scholarship to play Division I basketball at Bradley University in Illinois. In addition to her statewide awards from high school, Michelle also received accolades and awards from the NCAA.
She's a School Teacher
While in college, Michelle studied education and became a teacher in 2015. She teaches 5th grade and while many people quit their job to film on Bachelor Nation, rumor has it that Ms. Young used her summer break to film her romance pursuit to avoid missing the school year with her students.
She's Really Good at the Game Catch-Phrase
In her bio for The Bachelor, Michelle is a self-proclaimed "catch-phrase queen." Maybe this season she'll have the chance to show off her skills of the two-team game that requires players to get their teammates to guess a phrase.
Michelle also likes taste testing ice cream, but not hot tub dates.
She's a Gemini
Born on June 3, Michelle is a part of the Gemini Zodiac sign crew. The air sign is apparently most compatible with their fellow air signs Aquarius and Libra, though they also get along with Aries and Leo, too. Experts say the twin sign should stay be wary of Cancers, Scorpios, and Capricorns.
We'll just have to stay tuned to see if the final rose comes down to birth charts.
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