Royals Tennis Celebrates Senior Day

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - The Royals tennis teams celebrated Senior Day on Wednesday, April 21st against Covenant College.  While the Royals fell short against the Scots, it was a day of celebration as Riley Reinhardt, Caleb Weaver, Joe Tempest, Annalise Leimester, Emily Allen, and Olive Anderson were recognized for their contributions to the tennis program.  This senior class began their time at Johnson the same year as the university broke ground on the new Athletic & Recreation Complex and saw vast changes throughout their time as student-athletes.  Coach Seth Hale described the senior class as both "foundational" and "resilient" and believes their work will set the tone for the program for years to come.  The Royals seniors were incredibly successful in the classroom, as all three women were NCCAA All-Scholastic team members in 2018, 2019, and 2020, and all the men were NCCAA All-Scholastic team members in 2020.  Below are quotes from Coach Seth Hale about the individual impact each senior made to the tennis program.

Riley Reinhardt: "Off the court Riley was one of the hardest workers that has ever come through our program, which showed in his intensity and competitiveness once he got on the court.  He often had to play one of the highest positions but he never backed away from a challenge."

Caleb Weaver: "Caleb is the type of 'glue' guy you want on any team.  I used him as an example countless times of how to apply coaching to your game, and he was always the first to be vocal and encourage his teammates."

Joe Tempest: "Joe joined us late after starting with the golf team, but he brought about a quiet focus which the team needed through his years as a JU Royal.  He embraced the competition and was always problem solving on the court."

Annalise Leimeister: "Annalise is one of the most steady and mentally tough players I have ever coached.  She steadily moved up the lineup every year and regardless of her opponent she gave her top effort and displayed the utmost amount of grit, which is something I hope players emulate in years to come."

Emily Allen: "We only got Emily in the spring after soccer season, but whenever she joined back in with the team, we got an infusion of positivity and energy.  She was rare in that she could be the team's fiercest competitor while simultaneously being the team's biggest encourager and bringer of joy."

Olive Anderson: "Olive was a complete natural with the sport from the very beginning, but what set her apart from her peers was her ability to lead by example.  She made her teammates better by demonstrating compassion, hard work, and a reflective process."