Blake Strode
The former Pattonville High tennis star has made an immediate impact during his freshman year at the University of Arkansas.
The talented Strode found a place in the Razorbacks nationally-ranked lineup at No. 4 singles and No. 3 doubles for much of the season.
Strode finished the regular season with a record of 26-6 in singles matches and 19-10 in doubles. He finished the season on a hot streak, winning 11 of his last 13 singles matches, including a nine-match winning streak heading into last weekend’s Southeastern Conference Tournament.
In the Razorbacks first-round win over Vanderbilt in the SEC Tournament, Strode clinched Arkansas’ 4-3 victory with a 7-6, 7-6 victory over Nathan Sands. Strodes’ 26 victories was the 10th highest single-season total in the school’s history.
As a senior at Pattonville in 2005, Strode was the Missouri Class 2 state champion in singles. He was also the valedictorian of his senior class at Pattonville.
