Tennis
Meet The Daily News Journal’s 2024 All-Area Tennis teams, including players of the year
It was like winning a lottery for first-year Blackman tennis coach Kevin Meadows when a new student came to him asking about playing for the Blaze girls team.
“The first time out at practice, you could tell she was on another level,” said Meadows, of senior Ozge Yuksel, whose family came from Turkey. She was in a weight training class led by Blackman girls basketball coach Jennifer Grandstaff and asked her about whether the school had a tennis team. Grandstaff introduced her to Meadows.
“She played beyond my expectations, no question. She’s an exceptional girl too. (Blackman principal Justin Smith) asked me how my first season was going and if I was enjoying coaching. I told him I just loved being able to sit and watch her play. When you can sit and watch a player of that skill level, it’s fun to be a part of.”
Yuksel made quite a splash in her first year at Blackman, dominating district and region competition to earn a trip to the Class AA state singles tournament. She reached the state finals before falling to Brentwood’s Evelyn Risner (3-6, 5-7).
She leaves her one year with the Blaze having earned the honor of girls player of the year on The Daily News Journal’s 2024 all-area tennis team. Siegel junior Rich LaLance, who captured the Class AA boys state championship, is the boys player of the year.
While Yuksel came from a tennis family in Turkey (her father, Ali is a professional tennis coach), LaLance hails from a tradition-rich tennis family in Murfreesboro.
“One thing great about this sport is the fact that you can come from all parts of the world and compete, because tennis is universal,” said LaLance, whose grandfather Dick LaLance was a head coach at MTSU and whose father Kirk was also a standout in high school and college. “Your background doesn’t matter in tennis. What matters is how much effort you put on and off the court.”
LaLance, who has been one of the top players in the south since he was very young, earned his third consecutive all-area player of the year nod after capturing his first state title, a 6-4, 6-1 win over Hume-Fogg’s Elliot Parker (6-4, 6-1) in the finals.
“My season was outstanding this year,” LaLance said. “I had great competition, so I knew I had to work really hard with my game and mental strength, and all that hard work ended up paying off, so I’m very proud with my results. I’m grateful for all the support I received this year from my family, coaches and the community here in Murfreesboro. Next year I’m hoping to work even harder on and off the court to improve myself and try to defend the title.”
Yuksel said the competition level was a little stronger than in Turkey, but her biggest takeaway was the comradery.
“There’s more team spirit here, that’s for sure,” said Yuksel, who plans to play tennis in college but hasn’t committed to a school. “Spending time with team members (was her favorite memory). It was so much fun on and off the court. They made it pretty awesome. The team spirit was always there. That’s something I admired.”
The DNJ’s 2024 all-area tennis teams include:
GIRLS
Jenna Bush
Cannon County, Sr.
Why chosen: Bush ended her career on a high note, winning the district and region singles titles before reaching the Class A state semifinals.
Laurel Rich
Siegel, Sr.
Why chosen: Rich graduated as a four-time all-area performer, earning the nod for the second time as part of a doubles team, reaching the Class AA state semifinals with teammate Ellie Zolt.
Cici Schultz
Central Magnet, So.
Why chosen: Schultz played No. 2 singles on the district and region champs and reached the region doubles tournament with partner Helen Smith.
Uma Sood
Central Magnet, Jr.
Why chosen: Sood reached both the District 10-AA and Region 4-AA singles finals, falling both times to eventual TSSAA Class AA state runner-up Ozge Yuksel.
Ozge Yuksel
Blackman, Sr.
Why chosen: The all-area player of the year won the district and region singles championships before reaching the TSSAA Class AA state championship match.
Ellie Zolt
Siegel, Jr.
Why chosen: After reaching the state singles tournament each of the past two seasons, Zolt got back to Spring Fling as part of a doubles team with Laurel Rich, as the two reached the Class AA semifinals.
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BOYS
Bode Davenport
Cannon County, So.
Why chosen: Davenport won district and region singles championships to earn a trip to the Class A state tournament for the second straight season.
Caleb Koffman
MTCS, Fr.
Why chosen: Koffman played No. 2 singles to help lead the Cougars to the DII-A state team tournament, and he also reached the DII-A state singles tournament.
Rich LaLance
Siegel, Jr.
Why chosen: The three-time all-area boys player of the year had his best season yet, capturing the Class AA state singles championship after reaching the semis the previous season.
Andy Loughry
Central Magnet, Sr.
Why chosen: Loughry played No. 2 singles for the district champs and reached the region doubles championship match with partner Everett Smith.
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Koen Meranda
MTCS, Sr.
Why chosen: After reaching the state doubles tournament last season, Meranda took it another step as a senior, teaming up with freshman Ben Helton to reach the DII-A state semifinals. He was also the team’s No. 1 seed en route to the Cougars reaching the DII-A state team tournament.
Everett Smith
Central Magnet, Jr.
Why chosen: Smith played No. 1 singles for the district champions and also reached the region doubles championship match along with partner Andy Loughry.
Coach of the Year
Lawrence Goodwyn, MTCS
Why chosen: Goodwyn guided the Cougars to the DII-A state tournament semifinals and led the Lady Cougars to the state round of 12.
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