FHU once again selected as host site for national tournament
HENDERSON, Tenn. — Freed-Hardeman University’s basketball programs have both accomplished a great goal this season.
FHU and the Brewer Sports Center have once again been chosen as one of the host sites for the first and second rounds of the Basketball National Tournament. Of course, last year they hosted the first and second rounds. This is where the men’s team started their journey into winning a national championship.
We spoke to coach Drew Stutts about how hard it is to win that many games in a row.
“Obviously it was just an incredible experience. Incredibly challenging mentally, and physically. We have been fortunate to have a deep team. So we’ve consistently played ten guys. I think that helps us along the way. But the mental challenge is there, the physical challenge is there and it was pretty awesome to finish on top last year,” said Drew.
Not only has the men’s team been selected as one of the hosts for the first and second rounds, but the women’s team has as well. This is their first time ever hosting.
We were able to speak with coach Abby Stutts about what this means to them.
“It is such an advantage just to be able to, like you said, sleep in your own bed, being able to have your home court advantage, your own fans. Our families do travel really well, but what an advantage it is to be able to have even more support from the university, everyone from the community, and be able to be here in your home court, it’s awesome,” said Abby.
With both the mean’s teams and the women’s teams hosting this year, there’s now six teams that will be traveling here to Henderson to play next weekend. This doubles the workload from previous years.
We spoke to Athletic Director Jonathan Estes about how they’re going to handle this.
“You’re having two tournaments. So now we’re having twice as much as everything. Practice time, locker room space, you know everything is going to be challenged. We’ve got a great facility here that can host all of these teams. We’ve got a great community that is going to be able to host everybody. But definitely new challenges because you have two different tournaments running instead of just one,” said Estes.
If you haven’t noticed yet, coach Drew Stutts and coach Abby Stutts have the same last name. That is because they are brother and sister. So you have two great coaches, from the same great family, coaching two great teams, at the same great local university.
The teams will learn who they will be hosting later Thursday night. The first and second rounds of both the men’s and women’s tournaments will be March 14th and 15th.
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