Former UK walk-on Sears headed to Union
HERALD-LEADER STAFF REPORT

Former Kentucky basketball player Cory Sears plans to announce his transfer to Union College today.

Jay Stancil, the sports information director at Union, called an 11 a.m. news conference today for Sears' announcement.

Sears' transfer will be something of a homecoming. Union is an NAIA school in Barbourville, which is about 17 miles east of Sears' hometown of Corbin.

Union also fits Sears' ambition to teach and coach. The school, which has an undergrad enrollment of 600, is known for its many education majors.

Sears will be part of a rebuilding process begun by new coach Kelly Combs. Combs inherits a team that had a 6-25 record last season. It was the program's fourth straight losing season.

Combs, who played for Madison Central High's 1987 Sweet Sixteen team, had been an assistant at Berea College before taking the Union job.

Sears decided to transfer from Kentucky rather than compete for a spot on the team's 15-player traveling party. He said he felt his two dutiful seasons as a walk-on earned him the nod over such incoming UK walk-ons as Ravi Moss and Preston LeMaster. Junior Matt Heissenbuttel is expected to be another walk-on player for the Cats next season.

An honorable mention All-State player for Corbin High, Sears averaged 20.5 points and eight rebounds as a high school senior. He came to Kentucky billed as an outside shooter, but played sparingly in his two UK seasons despite the team's need for shooting.

He played in 10 games and scored two points as a UK freshman. This past season, he played in eight games and scored six points.