ABAC has signed its first basketball player following the return of the program as the school moves towards four-year athletics.
Emma Kate Noegel, a senior from Aquinas High School in Augusta, Ga. signed her letter of intent Monday, Feb. 26.
“I am extremely humbled and excited to be able to represent ABAC for the next 4 years as the program’s first signee in over a decade! I appreciate Coach Wimberly’s confidence in me and am totally committed to helping make this program a huge success,” said Noegel, “Coach Chuck is putting together a fantastic team, and I can’t wait to meet them all.”
“I’m very excited for the upcoming season and to be a Stallion!! I look forward to meeting everyone and making new friends here,” the future Filly continued.
This senior is only the beginning of basketball’s return following President Tracy Brundage’s immediate efforts to improve ABAC’s culture. Brundage announced ABAC’s approval to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) on Oct. 3, 2023.
“Our student-athletes have been forced to choose pursuing their athletic career for another two years at another school or continuing their education here at ABAC,” Brundage said in a press release from the school. “With the move to four-year athletics, those student-athletes will be able to stay here. That is important for our enrollment, but it’s really a matter of serving our students well.”
Prospective students who wish to pursue a bachelor’s degree while being a part of the athletic program no longer have to sacrifice a piece of their career.
Alexis Bradshaw, a Brewton-Parker College psychology student and South Georgia native, was scouted for ABAC’s softball team during the end of her high school career. However, she turned down the offer.
“As a senior, it is devastating to me that they are just now changing this. The only reason I did not go to ABAC as a student athlete was because they were a 2-year, and I did not want to up and move halfway through my college career,” said Bradshaw. “It is crazy because I was offered a full ride, but I chose Brewton-Parker because it’s a 4 year college. I felt most comfortable knowing I could stay here for 4 years and build a relationship with the team and professors.”
Bradshaw is just one example of the losses ABAC has experienced in recruitment up until this point, but expansion of the athletic program is the first step in a series of improvements.
Chuck Wimberly, Athletic Director at ABAC, was appointed as the women’s basketball coach in 2023 and promises a great deal of expertise for athletic program.
“Athletically, ABAC has so much to offer. Our success every year is evidence of that,” Wimberly said. “We have tradition, facilities, and community support already in place. Moving to four-year athletics will continue to propel us forward.”
Calvin Sinkfield was hired as the new men’s basketball coach and assistant athletic director in late January, and is preparing to work alongside Wimberly to strengthen ABAC Athletics across the board.
Both basketball teams were dissolved in 2008 at the recommendation of former ABAC President David Bridges following rising gas prices and a need for new head coaches.
“I’ve known about ABAC for a long time,” Sinkfield said in a recent release from the school. “I’ve probably driven by the college hundreds of times over the years but never stopped to see the campus. It’s amazing and it’s exciting to have the opportunity to bring back something that was such a focal point on campus and in the community.”
The program’s return is a long-awaited feat for campus culture, providing new scholarship and enrollment opportunities while bringing the community closer together.
