On Friday, Nov. 19, Elli Chumley signed to play basketball at Freed Hardeman University in Henderson, Tennessee. 

Chumley is a senior on the basketball team, and for all three of her years at CCCHS, she has been a starter. She verbally committed on Twitter on Aug. 11 of this year. 

Freed Hardeman is a private, four-year, Christian College in Henderson, Tennessee. 

With every college decision comes factors to consider. Chumley stated the factors that she had to consider when deciding.

“I looked for where I felt God’s presence was prevalent, where I felt most at home, what fit my academic needs and interests, where I felt I fit in and would contribute the most in a basketball aspect, and the school’s facilities and locations,” said Chumley regarding some things that she prioritized when deciding. 

Chumley decided on Freed-Hardeman because of several things that stood out to her. She stated, “The coaches and the girls seemed like more than a team. They seemed like a family.” 

Chumley also mentioned that she is a big defensive player, and she appreciates that Freed-Hardeman pushes defense in their basketball program. 

As far as how the recruitment process went for Chumley, she said, “It was just a lot of having to reach out to coaches themselves and putting myself out there.” She utilized her social media to connect with coaches and share her highlight videos. 

“It was a little bit out of my comfort zone, but in the end, it was all worth it,” said Chumley. 

After talking with coaches, she was faced with a tough decision to decide where to go, and the senior said that she began trying to decide starting from the end of her junior year until the start of this year. 

The senior says she is excited “to experience the close knit environment they have at Freed.” 

The students, staff, and coaches here at Coffee County are excited for Chumley, and she is ready to play her senior year of basketball with her team.