The Tennis Life

article by Phil Trahan

This month we highlight the accomplishments of Neville High Senior Mitchell Spence, who will join Nicholls State’s Division 1 tennis team in the fall of 2025. The Tennis Life sat down with Mitchell to learn more about his success in tennis and plans for the future.

Mitchell Spence

TL: Let’s start at the beginning. When did you first pick up a racquet?

MS: I started when I was 10 and split time between tennis, baseball and soccer. By my sophomore year I realized that tennis was my best chance to play at the next level.

TL: How did you and Nicholls State connect?

MS: I emailed the head coach, Greg Harkins, about my interest in playing college tennis and he asked me to meet him at the Southland Conference tournament in San Antonio. I liked that he was easy to communicate with and is an old school coach. Things just clicked from there.

TL: Most teams have an international flavor these days. Where are your future teammates from?

MS: I’ll be the third American and the others are from Argentina, Bulgaria, Hungary, Japan and South Africa.

TL: Anything else you would like to add?

MS: I would like to thank the local coaches and 

players who helped me develop my game. Joel McGregor was my main coach and Bob Holladay and Ridge Creech my main playing partners. I think I lost about 40 matches to Bob before I finally won one.

While Mitchell prepares for Division 1 tennis, the rest of the NELA community fills the courts at various tournaments. Louisiana Tech Club Tennis hosted its Christmas Classic December 7-8 at Ruston Sports Complex. See the winning teams in this month’s photo section.