Carson-Newman tennis adds three signees for 2011-12 season
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — The Carson-Newman tennis program has signed three student-athletes for the 2011-12 season, head coach Jean Love announced Tuesday.
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — The Carson-Newman tennis program has signed thr
ee student-athletes for the 2011-12 season, head coach Jean Love announced Tuesday.
Jennifer Ott (Knoxville, Tenn.) has signed a national letter of intent to play for the Lady Eagle program, while Austin MacKay (Oak Ridge, Tenn.) and Garret Duron (Woodstock, Ga.) will join the Eagle program next season.
Ott will come to C-N after a stellar career at South Doyle High School in Knoxville, Tenn. She helped guide South Doyle to a District championship in 2009 and a runner-up finish last season. She also was a part of the 2010 doubles team that won the district and region titles and advanced to the state quarterfinals. 
Ott is a three-time All-KIL selection and three-time All-PrepXtra selection and was the team captain. Ott also helped lead her USTA Junior team to a runner up finish in the national championship in 2009 and a third-place showing in 2010.
"I am very excited to have Jennifer Ott choose Carson-Newman," Love said. "She is a quality student-athlete and person."
MacKay is a standout from Oak Ridge High School in Oak Ridge, Tenn., where he is a team captain playing at the No. 1 seed in singles and doubles. He is a second team All-KIL performer and Team MVP. In the current Tennessee USTA rankings he is No. 18 in singles and doubles. This fall MacKay competed in the USTA Junior national championships with other players in the Knoxville area in Surprise, Ariz., and took third place in the intermediat
e division.
"I am pleased that Austin signed with Carson-Newman," Love said. "He is a competitor and brings a lot of experience with him. He should have an immediate impact in the lineup."
Duron follows in the footsteps of current C-N players, Paul Birdsong and Derek Holdway, who are also from Woodstock, Ga. Duron has been ranked in singles and doubles as high as No. 20 in Georgia and No. 107 in the South in the 18s. After his freshman season, he stopped playing at Etowah High School to focus more on tournament tennis. Before leaving Etowah, he helped lead the school to a region title and a berth in the state finals. They also won the USTA Georgia Team Tournament Championship.
"I am excited that Garret signed with Carson-Newman," Love said. "Not only will he step right into the lineup as a freshman, but he is only going to get better."
