Home / Sports / Mitchell Tennis Reloads for 2026 Season
Mitchell Tennis Reloads for 2026 Season
13 Aug
Summary
- Mitchell High tennis team faces challenges with key player graduation and injury.
- Coach optimistic about team depth and committed offseason training.
- Several players show promise, with strong JV program feeding talent.
The Mitchell High School girls tennis team is entering the 2026 season with high hopes, despite facing the departure of their top player from last year and a season-ending knee injury for their expected No. 1 player this season. Coach Pat Moller emphasized a strong offseason commitment, noting that the team is in a position to reload rather than rebuild.
The Kernels graduated their No. 1 singles player and will miss senior Matteah Graves due to a basketball-related knee injury. This necessitates new leadership at the top, with senior Katie Morgan and junior Ava Prunty set to lead in doubles. Morgan plays Flight 1 singles, while Prunty is at Flight 3.
Several players, including Elliot Smith and Ava Prunty who were third-place finishers at the 2025 state meet, are expected to contribute significantly. The team opened its season with two wins and has seven more home matches before the Eastern South Dakota Conference championships on Sept. 28-29 and the Class AA state competition on Oct. 8-9.
Moller also highlighted the program's growth, with over 40 participants out for girls tennis this season, including many in middle school. An intra-team tournament on Aug. 8 helped determine player rankings and provided competitive experience, underscoring the coach's philosophy of fostering a love for the sport through ample playing opportunities.
