Conference Highlights
Prairie Fire men's tennis is among the most successful sports programs in the history of Knox athletics. Prairie Fire players battle for the top standings in the Midwest Conference.
The Knox men's tennis team has advanced to the Midwest Conference (MWC) Championships four times since 2000, and has consistently seen individual players and doubles teams finish in the top three in their division. The MWC champion earns an automatic bid to the NCAA National Tournament in the spring.
Prairie Fire tennis emphasizes total player development. Players work on strokes and game strategy, but above all take pride in displaying exemplary sportsmanship.
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 Louisiana and Hilton Head Island.
The Prairie Fire play outdoor matches on the 6 Merdian Tennis Courts. In addition, indoor courts at Lakeside Tennis Center in Galesburg and the T. Fleming Fieldhouse allow players to practice during the winter and inclement weather.
Individual Achievements
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) is the head tennis professional at Penbrook Swim and Tennis Club in Rockville, Maryland. Donald Bonet '78 (History) has served as a history teacher and girls tennis coach at Naperville Central High School near Chicago. Richard Lindstrom III '95 is an otolaryngologist at MCW Affiliated Hospitals in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. Edward Lanphier is the President and CEO of Sangamo Bio Sciences in Ross, California.
Coaching Achievements
http://www.lawrenceeyre.usptapro.com/
Lawrence Eyre was named head tennis coach at Knox in July of 2015. He was a member of the Grinnell College tennis coaching staff the previous three years.
Eyre brings a wealth of coaching experience to the Prairie Fire tennis teams. He’s been a United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) Elite Professional since 1991, and has taught tennis to more than 15,000 players of all ages.
Eyre has earned several accolades during his career: 2009 USPTA National High School Coach of the Year, USPTA Missouri Valley Division High School Coach of the Year in 1993 and 2008, and Iowa Tennis Association Coach of the Year in 2000. He was recently inducted into the Iowa Hall of Pride in Des Moines.
Eyre coached high school tennis at Maharishi School in Fairfield, Iowa, for 25 years and guided the team to 17 state titles in singles, doubles, and team competition.
Players taught and coached by Eyre have competed successfully at both the NCAA Division I and III levels. In addition, 2015 marked his 16th summer as tennis director at Camp Laurel South in Casco, Maine. Each summer he recruits, trains, and supervises a staff of 12 tennis teachers, most of whom are current college team players.
A native of Moline, Illinois, Eyre captained the tennis team at Moline High School. He declined a Division I tennis scholarship offer from Illinois State University and attended Yale University on an academic scholarship.
Eyre holds a B.A. cum laude from Yale and an M.A. from Yale Divinity School and Luther Seminary.
