Aubree Freeman is a freshman on the University of Tampa volleyball team. She has an older sister, Daisha, an older brother, Caleb, and another older brother, Josh Freeman. Indeed, the same Josh Freeman that is the starting quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Freeman family is blessed with athletic ability. Daisha played basketball and track in high school and Caleb walked on to the football team at the University of Missouri.
Obviously, Josh was and is a football star, and now Aubree is playing volleyball at UT.
“The fact that Josh was already in Tampa had a lot to do with my decision to come to UT,” said Freeman. “I wanted to get away, and I definitely felt more comfortable with Josh being here.” Josh is currently living with Caleb.
Having a brother who is an NFL quarterback can provoke a lot of attention.
“I love messing with people,” said Freeman. “When people ask me if I’m really Josh Freeman’s sister, I’m usually like, ‘who is that?’ Then there’s that awkward moment after I admit it when people say, ‘that’s so cool!’ What am I supposed to say to that?”
Freeman said it doesn’t feel like she grew up with an NFL quarterback. “It doesn’t feel like it at all,” she said. “When I see him play now, it’s just like going to one of his high school games, just now more people know him.”
Freeman said their family is and has always been close-knit. Her parents Ron and Teresa have always been very dedicated parents when it comes to going to their kids sporting events.
“Mom and dad don’t miss a game in Josh’s season, even the road ones.”
In fact, even though the volleyball team traveled to Freeman’s home state of Missouri last weekend for a tournament, their parents were in Tampa for the Buccaneer game.
“I’m not mad at them at all for the tournament,” said Freeman. “It was about 30 minutes away from home so I was able to see a lot of my friends, and my cousin actually played on one of the other teams.”
“Considering we didn’t expect them to come to our games, mom and dad actually did an amazing job of going to everyone’s events,” she continued. “It worked out really well because football season was in the fall, basketball in the winter and club volleyball was in the spring, so they almost always made it out to our games.”
Freeman is a middle blocker for the Spartans, but is redshirting this season to learn the system.
“I’d rather know that I’m not going to play rather than have a chance and not get in,” said Freeman. “It’s frustrating at times, but it helps that we’re an awesome team because I’m learning a lot and all of the girls have been great.”
The volleyball team has begun this season on a roll, with aim to get back to the national championship. The team will put its unbeaten streak on the line this Friday at home, against Saint Leo.
John Hilsenroth can be reached at jhilsenroth@spartans.ut.edu.