It appears WKU has added a walk-on with local ties for next season.

IMG Academy (Fla.) guard Spence Sheldon, who formerly played at Warren Central High School, told the Herald Wednesday night that he will be a preferred walk-on for the Toppers next year.

Sheldon said the WKU coaching staff will decide whether or not to redshirt him in the fall, and that he may have the opportunity to earn a scholarship in his second year.

“It took me a while to decide what I was going to do because I knew I needed one more year to get my body where it needed to be,” he said. “I thought I might do a prep school year, but then WKU said they’d give me a year to redshirt.

“It’s the same thing as prep school, except I can be in their system and in the practices. It was kind of a no-brainer to me.”

WKU hasn’t officially announced any signees or walk-ons since the NCAA’s Early Signing Period ended in November. The Regular Signing Period, which has provided WKU with Findlay Prep (Nev.) guard Kevin Kaspar, runs through May 18.

Sheldon previously played at Warren Central — along with WKU signee George Fant — and averaged 1.6 points in 17 games as a junior before breaking his ankle.

It was then that he headed to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., a decision he said has been the right one.

WKU has tapped the IMG Academy pipeline before, including recruits Jameson Tipping and Teeng Akol.

“As far as the competition and me getting better and stronger, it makes me confident more than anything,” Sheldon said. “Being on the court so much gives you no choice but to get better. It’s been huge for me, and I wouldn’t have done it any other way.”

Sheldon, who stands 6 feet tall, is rated a “75” by ESPN.com. He said he currently weighs about 168 pounds and hopes to reach 170-175 pounds by the time he arrives at WKU.

But more than anything, Sheldon just said he’s glad to be coming back to his hometown.

“That was my main goal. I was hoping I would go away for a year so that I could come back home,” he said. “I’m going to enjoy coming home for sure.

“It’s going to push me so much, and it’s going to be great to be back around family and friends.”