Abner happy to be joining Patriots
ROACHDALE — Kaelynn Abner has known for two years that she wanted to attend college at the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, Ky.
On Wednesday, she made that dream official by signing her national letter to attend the NAIA school which competes in the Mid-South Conference.
“I am so excited,” Abner said Wednesday. “I am excited to be coached [by Steve Hamilton]. I don’t know many of the other freshmen coming in next year, but I have gotten to know the current team members who will still be there next fall.”
Abner has attended three camps at the Cumberlands since committing during her sophomore year.
“They are so welcoming,” she said. “With me being from far away, that makes it like a family atmosphere.”
Abner said the UC staff discovered her after a tournament two years ago near Indianapolis and sent her an e-mail.
“I had never heard of the college before, but they told me to go to their website and check it out,” she said. “I signed up for a camp, and that’s how it started.”
Abner is undecided on her college major, but is considering physical therapy or special education. She has been actively involved in the Unified basketball team program through her role as a member of the Indiana High School Athletic Association student advisory committee.
She notes the team has a successful program (finishing 10-9-1 last year) and plays against other squads from different levels of competition.
“They play some Division II and III teams,” she said. “The team handles adversity really well against such a wide range of teams.”
Brett Craig has been Abner’s travel team coach for the past several seasons, and sees good things happening for her at the college level.
“She’ll do well,” he said. “She works hard, and she plays very well. She is pretty much everything a college coach would want to have in a player.”
Craig thinks Abner will play somewhere on the back line at the next level.
“She’s a defender at heart,” he said. “That fits her playing style, and fits what she likes to do.”
Abner led North Putnam to the Putnam County championship last fall and third place in the Western Indiana Conference.
She scored a team-high 16 goals and also had seven assists.