GOING TO THE BELT

Lance Freeman will attend Western Kentucky University on a tennis scholarship. Freeman inked with the Hilltoppers Tuesday at Corbin High School in front of his teammates and student body.

Why Western Kentucky? “First of all, I wanted to go to the place the Lord wanted me to go to. I knew Western Kentucky was a great college,” Freeman said. “I visited the school several times and really enjoyed being on campus and the atmosphere it had. It’s a D-1 school so that obviously a plus.”

“I wanted to go to a D-1 school if I could,” said Freeman. “That’s the top level. I met with the coach and felt chemistry there. I really like the guys on the team and it seemed like a good fit.”

“I am hoping I can step in and be a part of the top six and help contribute to the team and I feel that I will be able to do that next season,” said Freeman.

Freeman will keep working on his game from now until next spring. He hopes to finish his senior year as a four-time champion and do well in the 2009 state high school tournament.

“I will have to get tougher on my strokes and become more accurate,” he added.

He also wants to work on stamina for next year. “You play two out of three sets and you get in that third set. That’s where you beat your opponent a lot of times and that has been my Achilles heal sometimes.”

“Lance had a goal of playing Division One,” said Corbin Coach Curt Hart. “Western is strong academically and they play in a good conference. When that opportunity came up I thought it was a good choice for Lance.”

The Hilltoppers play in the Sun Belt Conference with the likes of Middle Tennessee, Florida Atlantic, Louisana-Lafayette, Denver, South Alabama, New Orleans, North Texas, Arkansas State and Troy. Western finished the season with an 11-10 record last week.

“We’ve had a lot of players to play at the college level but, Lance makes the fifth tennis player to go D-1 since 1982.

“He is only going to improve and get stronger,” said Hart.

“Lance has predominately been a singles player, so hitting against better competition will only make him better and raise his level,” said Hart.

“He started with me as a sixth grader, he is a three-time regional champion and a regional runner-up.”

There might be a chance Freeman will skip his fourth try as a singles’ regional champion and team up with cousin, Brody for the regional doubles competition. “There is a chance they might shoot for a state championship in doubles,” said Hart.

The two teamed up in the Forcht Bank King of the Bluegrass Tournament in Louisville last weekend and finished with a 3-0 record.