Commitment Profile
Countdown: Horton Stays Close to Home at Coker
by Clair Maciel, 28 October 2015
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When it came time for Hunter Horton to decide on a college commitment, the choice was pretty clear from the beginning. Though he had visited other schools like Belmont Abbey and Erskine College, and had been in contact with several other Division II schools, it was the small-town feel of Coker College in Hartsville, S.C., just an hour away from his hometown of Lugoff, that made him feel at home.
As a kid, Horton attended tennis camps at the Coker campus and sparked a connection with the coaches over the years. It was that personal connection with the school - and a new friendship with his future teammates - that Horton said made it a clear choice for his collegiate career.
"Once I had met the team and hit with some of the guys during a visit to the campus, I felt like it was a good fit for me," he said. "They made me feel like part of the team, and I really liked the coach. I feel like Coker is a good place for me to grow."
As a new recruit to the Cobra team, Horton said he hopes to improve his tennis and be able to compete at a higher level so that by this time next fall, he can earn a spot near the top of the lineup. Given his work ethic, reaching that goal shouldn't take long. Growing up, Horton spent most of his time tirelessly practicing against a ball machine, honing his game into the all-around playing style that propelled him to No. 5 in South Carolina in the 2016 Class Rankings.
"Being from such a small town, it's hard to find a good player to hit with, because there aren't many other high level players where I'm from," he said. "I would have to drive about 40 minutes to the Columbia area if I wanted to hit with someone. Otherwise, it was just me putting in a lot of hard work hitting against the machine."
Horton is a top recruit from South Carolina
His training methods certainly paid off, as Horton's talent shined during his junior career. In addition to reaching the state championship for doubles, Horton also made the 16s Zonal Southern team last year, an experience he names as one of his proudest achievements.
Now, as he looks forward to taking the next step at the Division II collegiate level, not only will he be able to improve his tennis, but he will also gain valuable academic experience that he hopes will one day help him build a successful career in sports management. In fact, Horton said he has entertained the thought of one day being a college coach. Whatever path he chooses, he couldn't be happier with his decision of choosing Coker as the place to build that foundation.
Pathway to the Pros
Former college stars like Kevin Anderson, Jon Isner, Steve Johnson and Irina Falconi have done very well in professional tennis. Tomorrow, the Intercollegiate Tennis Association talks with professionals and current college stars about how college tennis has helped their games. So come back tomorrow - as Tennis Recruiting continues on the Countdown to Signing Day.
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