MCC Tennis Star Signs Scholarship

From School Reports

Kevin Millet, sophomore tennis player from Meridian Community College, signed a National Letter of Intent to continue his tennis career at the University of Texas Permian Basin, a NCAA Division II school in Odessa, Texas.  UTPB is part of the Heartland Conference; the team is under the leadership of Coach Steve Buck. Kevin came to Meridian CC from Brandon, MS and is the son of Mark and Jackie Millet.  He was coached by Brooks Buffington and Mark Elliott.  Kevin, a mechanical engineer major, maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA while at MCC.  He had a rigorous class load; Kevin completed Calculus 1-IV, Linear Algebra, Differential Equations, Engineering Physics, and Chemistry as well as other core classes.  He is a member of Phi Theta Kappa, a two-year National Honor Society member.  He was awarded the Sue Key Excellence in Math Award at the awards banquet held in May.   At graduation, Kevin was honored with induction to MCC’s Circle of Excellence as well as awarded one of three H. M. Ivy Scholarships to be used to continue his education.  He also was selected as a member of Who’s Who in America’s Universities and Colleges.  He was on the President’s List all four semesters at Meridian. 

As a tennis player at MCC, Kevin was the team captain for two years.  His freshman year, he played number three singles and number one doubles.  As a sophomore, Kevin played one singles and doubles.  He was the runner-up at both positions this spring at the Region XXIII/MACJC tournament.  He has competed at the NJCAA National Tennis Tournament both of his years.  As a sophomore, he and his partner, Judson Watson, were at-large selections for the USTA/ITA National Small College Championships held in Ft. Myers, Florida in October 2013.  In the last ITA rankings, Kevin was ranked number 36 in the single’s rankings.  He was awarded the ITA Region III “Player to Watch” as a freshman and the ITA Region III “Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sportsmanship and Leadership Award” in 2014. 

Kevin has been involved in community service through Phi Theta Kappa and the MCC tennis team.  He has volunteered with Special Olympics, the Salvation Army, Love’s Kitchen Canned Food Drive, Street Strut for Breast Cancer, and Samaritan’s Purse.  He has helped to teach clinics for younger players, and when at home, he works at Castlewood Tennis Center.  According to MCC head coach Wanda McPhail, “Kevin is an extraordinary young man, who is dedicated to the sport of tennis.  His work ethic is unparalleled in his desire to improve his game and the game of those on his team.  He has clearly defined goals for his life and will be successful at his future endeavors.”

MCC Women's Tennis Team Completes 2014 Season

From School Reports

Meridian Community College competed in the NJCAA National Tennis Tournament hosted by Tyler Junior College May 3-9.  The tournament consisted of thirty -one teams with a consolation back draw.  This tournament is a flighted tournament; players are seeded according to dual match play during the spring season.  Two points are awarded for the first round in the main draw and one point thereafter.  Players in the back draw can earn up to two points for the team if they win the draw with each match counting ½ point.

Meridian finished the tournament tied with Seward County Community College out of Liberal, Kansas for fifteenth place.  Meridian’s women had a stellar night at the national banquet held at Tyler Junior College previous to tournament play on Sunday.  Mallory Davis received the Region III and National Arthur Ashe, Jr. National Sportsmanship Award presented during the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s Awards ceremony.  The big surprise of the night came when Coach Wanda McPhail was inducted into the NJCAA Women’s Tennis Coaches Association Hall of Fame. 

In first round play, Meridian’s Mallory Davis defeated Illinois Valley’s April Kutz 6-2, 6-0.  In the second round of play, Mallory faced the number one seed, Natalia Vavulina, from ASA (New York) who was the tournament winner at the number one flight.  She lost 6-0, 6-1.  At number two singles, freshman Jennie Smith lost to Snead State’s Rachel Farmer 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.  In the back draw, Jennie lost to North Central Texas’ Alexandria Rodriguez 8-2.  At number three singles, sophomore Madison Gillette won her first round defeating Moraine Valley Illinois’ Alex Armon 6-2, 6-1.  In the round of 16, Gillette faced the number four seed, Simone Krog, from Collin County Texas; she lost 6-1, 6-0.  At number four singles, freshman, Caroline Terry, won her first round by defeating Carolina Hernandez of Jacksonville College Texas 6-1, 6-1.  Terry then lost to the number 7 seed Katy Foster from North Central Texas 6-3, 6-1.  At number five singles, sophomore, Molly Davis, lost a close match 6-7, 7-6, 6-1 to Pima’s Cassidy McWhorter. 

In the back draw, Molly lost to NCTC’s Sheridan McKissick 8-3.  At number six singles, MCC’s Taylor White lost to Snead State’s Courtney Moore 6-1, 6-4.  In the back draw, White defeated Alina Patthana from Elgin Illinois 8-2.  In the semifinals, White lost to sophomore, Brooke Martin, JCJC MS 8-6.  At number one doubles, Davis/Smith defeated Oxford of Emory’s Colleen Isdahl/Camille Lusher 6-2, 6-0.  In the round of 16, they played the number six seeded team Olivia Erlandsson/Jazz Whitaker of St. Petersburg, FL losing 6-0, 6-1.  At number two doubles, Gillette/Molly Davis defeated Natalie Judkins/Stacy Kroch of Elgin, IL 6-2, 6-0 before falling to the number one seeded team from Tyler Junior College Texas 6-2, 6-0.  At number three doubles, MCC’s freshman duo of Taylor White/Caroline Terry defeated Mesa CC AZ 2-6, 7-5. 6-0.  in the round of 16, they defeated Jenna Bechtold/Marla Rodriguez of Lewis and Clark 6-2, 7-6.  They played the number one seeded doubles team from TJC in the quarterfinals losing to Ashleigh De Wet/ Kerry Wiegand 6-1, 6-1.  ASA won the national title with 47 points, Tyler had 46 for a second place finish.  Rounding out the top five were Georgia Perimeter with 32, Cowley College KS with 25.5, and Florida State College of Jacksonville with 25.5. 

Meridian women finished with 14 points which was enough to tie with Seward CC from Liberal, Kansas for fifteenth.  For  all results visit the following website : http://www.apacheathletics.com/f/NJCAA_D1_Womens_Tennis_National_Tournament_Schedule_and_Results.php

MCC Golfer Completes Play At National Tournament

From School Reports

 Meridian Community College golf standout Connor Cavin completed play this past week in the 2014 NJCAA Division I National Tournament in Burlington, IA. Cavin finished the tournament by placing in 40^th place among 113 players entered in the field. 

Cavin was the only player represented from Meridian Community College and was the only player that was in the field from District IV which includes Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and South Carolina. The MCC team missed qualifying for the National Tournament by two strokes last month at the District IV Tournament which was held in Albany, GA.

Cavin opened the tournament by shooting an 80 (eight-over par) and was able to bounce back in the second round by shooting his lowest round of the week of 70 (two-under par). Cavin was unable to find his groove in the final two rounds by shooting and 80 and an 82 to complete the tournament with a total of 312.
In the past four years, MCC has had two individual national champions (Brandt Garon- 2011) and Jake Sterling- 2012) and an individual runner-up ( TJ Morgan - 2013).

MCC Men's Tennis Completes National Tournament

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College men’s tennis finished in 21^st place at the NJCAA National Tennis Tournament played at Collin College in Plano, Texas May 11-16. At the tournament banquet, Meridian’s Kevin Millet was awarded the Region III (comprised of MS, KS, MI, OH, IN, IL, and AR) Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sportsmanship and Leadership Award as part of the ITA Awards program.

Play was delayed on Monday morning due to weather conditions.  Players were on the courts warming up for the eight o’clock matches at Collin CC and Plano East High School when play was cancelled due to lightning and rain.  Players returned to the courts at 11:00 a.m. and began the first round of play. 

In the Round of 32, MCC’s Kevin Millet lost to Luke Paeni of New Mexico Military Institute 6-2, 6-3.  In the back draw, Kevin lost to the #23 ITA-ranked singles player, Zach Dye, from Spartanburg Methodist College 8-1.  At number two singles, MCC’s TJ Carter lost a first round match to six-seeded Hamid Derbani from Laredo 6-0, 6-0.  TJ picked up a point in the back draw with wins over Moraine Valley’s Brad Smith 3-1 (ret. Inj.) and Prairie State Illinois’ Osiris Carroll 8-4.  In the semifinals consolation draw, TJ lost to Jonah Jakubec from ABAC 8-1. At number three singles, unseeded Chris Mallette of MCC drew a Bye the first round but then fell to Johnson County’s Taylor Smith 6-3, 6-2.  In the consolation draw, Mallette lost to MMI’s Jake McDonough 8-1.  At four singles Meridian’s Judson Watson  was hoping to pick up a win against College of DuPage’s arindam k. mukheriee but lost 6-1, 6-2.  In the back draw Watson played top-ranked Collin County’s Matthew Bolster and lost 8-0.  The number five single’s player from Meridian, Reed Wade, drew a bye the first round but then had to play Seminole’s Aramis Azucey falling 6-1, 6-0.  In the back draw, Wade lost to Prairie State, IL 8-4.  MCC’s six single’s player, Christian Jackson, fell in his first round of play to Seminole’s Mitchell Vechione 6-0, 6-1. He then lost to Johnson County’s Conner Melton 8-6.   

In doubles play, Meridian’s one doubles, Millet/Mallette,  lost their first round to Oakton CC (Illinois) 6-4, 7-6 (4).  In the back draw, the duo lost to Lewis and Clark 8-3.  Meridian picked up four points at number two doubles and number three doubles.  The MCC duo, Judson Watson/Christian Jackson, defeated Pima’s Henkel/Medina 6-1, 6-4.  In the round of sixteen, Jackson/Watson fell to Johnson County’s Taylor Smith/Kristopher Snider 6-1, 6-4.  At three doubles, TJ Carter/Reed Wade defeated Lewis & Clark’s Miller/Melton 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.  They then lost to Prairie State’s Carroll/Horvath 6-3, 7-5.  ASA (New York) won the national by defeating Tyler Junior College.  For final results, visit  https://t.co/YE6y4mOIaL.

MCC Tennis Star Wins Arthur Ashe Award

From School Reports

Mallory Davis, sophomore tennis player for Meridian Community College garnered national recognition when she was selected the National Women’s JUCO winner of the Arthur Ashe, Jr.  Sportsmanship and Leadership Award at the NJCAA National Tennis Tournament banquet held in the Student Center at Tyler Junior College previous to tournament play.  The purpose of the Arthur Ashe Collegiate Award is to honor Arthur Ashe and the vision that he embodied of the importance of education, sportsmanship, and leadership.  Tennis opened the door of higher education for Arthur. Tennis and college offered him a springboard into a life of vast achievement; first as a world-class athlete, then as an educator and international humanitarian. Mallory, from Lafayette High School, played two years at Meridian.  Her freshman year she played number two singles and number two doubles.  As a sophomore, Mallory moved up to play number one singles and number one doubles. She was All-Region XXIII at number two doubles her freshman year and has been ranked in the top 40 singles players in the nation and in the top 30 doubles teams by the ITA rankings. She was a huge part of the number eight ranked team in the nation her freshman year and this year’s finish of fifteenth.  Mallory demonstrates leadership both on and off the court; she served as co-captain of the team her sophomore year. 

As the governing body of collegiate tennis, the ITA promotes both the athletic and academic achievements of varsity collegiate tennis players. The ITA, which is comprised of nearly 1,700 men's and women's varsity coaches and 20,000 student-athletes from over 1,200 institutions, has a comprehensive awards program for players and coaches to honor excellence in academics, leadership, sportsmanship and athletic performance. Awards are given to both men and women, on the Regional and National levels to all Divisions represented within the ITA (NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA, and Community and Junior Colleges). The ITA annually recognizes over 3,000 student-athletes on an individual and team basis from over 500 different varsity tennis programs. More than 300 coaches participate in the award selection process, serving on Regional and/or National selection committees.

A player who receives this award has been nominated by his or her coach.  A Regional Committee then votes on a region winner.  The region winners are placed on a national ballot and each coach on the national committee votes on the recipients.  The nominee must demonstrate sportsmanship, leadership, and character as well as success on the tennis court and in the classroom. 

Mallory has demonstrated academic excellence as a student at MCC; she was named the Female Scholar Athlete this spring and was awarded the Maude Smith English Award.  She was selected to Who’s Who Among America’s Universities and Colleges.  Mallory was an honor graduate with a 3.87 GPA as a speech therapy major and was inducted into MCC’s Circle of Excellence at graduation. Mallory has also been involved in community service while a student at Meridian.

She volunteered for Love’s Kitchen, a local food bank; the Salvation Army as a bell ringer at Christmas; Special Olympics; Samaritan’s Purse, Street Strut for Breast Cancer, and other organizations.  In her nomination letter, MCC coach Wanda McPhail said of Mallory, “She is kind, compassionate, loyal, hard-working, cooperative, and enthusiastic and exhibits high moral values.” 

Mallory joins six other Meridian College tennis player in this elite group of national winners.  Previous winners from Meridian Community College are, Tara-Beth Hall (2013), Simon Bardell (2012), Andres Cepede (2010),  Elliott Clark and Kelly Sterling (2009), and Blake Sherman(2008).