If one word could describe Saveea Freeland during her athletic career at Cambridge High School, it would be “competitor.”
Whether it was battling on the boards for rebounds in girls basketball, chasing down digs in volleyball or digging into the batter’s box against a tough pitcher for softball, Freeland would always find herself in a battle with opponents.
Now, Freeland will begin a new battle, facing NCAA Division 1 softball pitching.
Freeland will continue her softball career with Illinois State University.
Playing t-ball growing up, Freeland wanted to play travel softball after seeing her sister, Sierra, play for the Wisconsin Bandits. After begging her parents to allow her to play travel softball, Freeland joined the Wisconsin Bandits at seven-years-old.
Freeland continued to play travel softball through the U14 level. At the U14 level, the Bandits were facing some of the top competition in the nation and winning tournaments.
Playing at such a high level, Freeland began to hear from college coaches. On the first day of her junior year, Freeland had six coaches contact her, including Illinois State head coach Tina Kramos, about the possibility of playing college softball.
“She asked me to come have a visit with her and get a better picture of the softball program and campus,” said Freeland. “My parents and I went to the visit, and she offered me a scholarship that day.”
Getting to watch Illinois State practice, Freeland knew what school she wanted to go to. After the team practice, Freeland verbally committed to Illinois State and skipped her remaining college visits.
“I was sure I wanted to go to ISU,” said Freeland. “ISU was always one of my favorite places to go to softball camp, and I fell in love with the program and coaches.”
At Illinois State University, Freeland plans to study healthcare leadership/nursing.
“I have always wanted to go into the healthcare field since I was little, and I know there are many successful careers in that field,” said Freeland.
Not only did Freeland enjoy success playing travel softball, but the infielder was a key part of history-making moments for the Cambridge softball team.
As a freshman, Freeland helped the Blue Jays win their first Capitol South Conference title in program history. The Blue Jays then made history again the next season by winning their first ever regional championship.
In regionals, the Blue Jays upset Lakeside Lutheran and Brodhead, the top-seed in the bracket, to win the championship.
In the regional final against Brodhead, Freeland helped score both runs in the 2-0 win. Freeland drove in Hannah Larson on an RBI single in the third inning and then scored on a wild pitch in the fifth inning, giving the fifth-seeded Blue Jays their first ever regional plaque.
“It was a great feeling, and I did believe we could accomplish those goals,” said Freeland. “These years, I was playing with a lot of my friends that I grew up with, loved softball like me and put a lot of time into the sport on club teams. We knew how to win, and it was so special.”
During her four-year career with the softball team, Freeland earned all-state honors after each season. In each season, Freeland held a batting average over .400.
Along with her time with the softball team, Freeland also achieved much success with the basketball team and volleyball team.
As a four-year basketball player, Freeland earned all-conference honors in each season. Taking home second team honors as a freshman, sophomore and junior, Freeland received first team honors as a senior.
Also as a senior, Freeland surpassed 1,000 career points scored and also helped the Blue Jays win a regional title. Freeland finished her career on the basketball court with 1,228 points scored.
On the volleyball court, Freeland played three years. As a senior, Freeland earned honorable mention all-conference for her play at defensive specialist. During her four-year varsity career with Cambridge, Freeland earned a total of 11 letters.
“ I am filled with gratitude for the friendships I’ve made and the accomplishments we’ve achieved together,” said Freeland. “From the early days of practice to the exhilarating moments of winning regionals and conference, each experience has been unforgettable.”
“The camaraderie with my teammates and the support from our coaches have shaped not only my skills on the field, but also my character off it,” Freeland added. “These memories and lessons will always hold a special place in my heart.”
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