Harlan County High School junior Kalista Dunn will go where no HCHS student has gone before when she plays in the state tennis tournament on May 27-29 at the University of Kentucky.
Dunn became the first HCHS student to qualify by earning a spot in the regional final four with wins Wednesday in regional competition at HCHS.
“Going to state has always been my goal. It’s incredibly unreal to have accomplished this goal,” Dunn said. “I couldn’t have done it without my teammates and coaching staff encouraging me. I am just so thankful.”
The regional final four is set for Saturday at HCHS.
“We couldn’t be more proud of Kalista — the first HCHS student to make it to state. How awesome is that to say,” Harlan County coach Caleb Bailey said. “She brings great leadership mentality to this team and strives to win. This past year, she only lost one singles match, which is an amazing accomplishment and is the first player to be seeded top four in the region for us. To be able to say Kalista is the first to play at the state level for us is a tremendous accomplishment and testimony to her play. She is a great kid and always shows great sportsmanship. Our coaching staff and players are so proud of her for what she accomplished. We aren’t done yet! Let’s go to UK and make some noise.”