Hackett’s Bridget Freeman selected as NWADG volleyball coach of the year.

COACH OF THE YEAR

SCHOOL Hackett

THE SCOOP Freeman, a 1997 Mansfield graduate, started the volleyball program at

Hackett six years ago with a junior team then got a high school varsity program going the next season. That group of seventh-graders who started the program capped their high school volleyball careers with back-toback state championships. Freeman led the Lady Hornets to the Class 2A title a year ago, then despite bumping up a classification this year won it in 3A as well. They finished this season 22-1 and a combined 51-3 over the two championship seasons.

DID YOU KNOW? Freeman was an all-state selection in three sports (basketball, volleyball and softball) in high school and went on to a standout volleyball career at Arkansas Tech. Her name is still in the record books at Tech in multiple categories, but she still ranks first in career hitting percentage (.325) and first in hitting percentage for a single season with an eye-popping .412 in 2000. She also earned the Gulf South Conference Commissioner’s Trophy in 2001, which is the awarded annually to the student-athlete who combines outstanding performance in athletics with high academic achievement and significant community service and extracurricular activities.

QUOTABLE “Getting the job here at Hackett was a total Godsend. I thought it was crazy. Leaving Mansfield that have phenomenal girls athletics and we have three girls. I just did not understand how he was leading me to a school with no volleyball. I trusted God and he’s blessed us for it. This was just an amazing group of kids. They were determined to make this their best year. It was so neat to see them progress over the six years.”

Freeman