Men's tennis will be discontinued following the 2019-20 season.
The Knox men's tennis team has advanced to the Midwest Conference Tournament four times since 2000, while individual players and doubles teams frequently finish in the top three in their flights.
Prairie Fire tennis emphasizes total player development. Players work on strokes and game strategy, but there's a crucial third element they also work on: sustaining what's commonly known as "mental toughness," the ability to maintain focus and concentration for an entire match.
The men's tennis team takes a trip south during spring break. The squad has traveled to Orlando, Florida in recent years, while other destinations have included Hilton Head Island and Louisiana.
The Prairie Fire play outdoor matches on the Merdian Tennis Courts. In addition, players use the indoor courts at T. Fleming Fieldhouse and Lakeside Recreation Facility in Galesburg during the winter and in inclement weather.
Prairie Fire tennis players have gone on to a wide variety of successful careers. They include James King '95, a research editor at Encyclopedia Britannica, Richard Broadwell '67 (Biology), a tennis professional in Rockville, Maryland, Donald Bonet '78 (History), a history teacher and girls tennis coach at Naperville Central High School near Chicago, Richard Lindstrom III '95, an otolaryngologist at MCW Affiliated Hospitals in Pewaukee, Wisconsin, and Edward Lanphier, President and CEO of Sangamo Bio Sciences in Ross, California.
