WISE, Va. – A total of five men's and women's tennis newcomers will compete for UVa-Wise this school year as four women and one male join the Cavaliers this fall.
 
Abby Church, Montana Hill, Mackenzie Lawson and Kari Simmons will all be joining the Cavs on the women's team, while Blake Pientka will be competing on the men's team.
 
Church will remain in her hometown to play for the Red and Gray after earning all-conference honors all four years while at Central H.S. In her senior year, Church was the team co-captain as the Warriors compiled an 18-5team record and were the Group 2A state runner-ups. Church will be a Nursing major.

A native of Riner, Virginia (Auburn H.S.), Hill joins the Cavs after an impressive high school career where she played No. 1 singles her sophomore through senior years. As a junior, Hill led Auburn to its first state championship match since 1981 and was conference runner-up in doubles. That summer Hill won the 39th Annual Coalfield Progress Tennis Tournament. A team captain both her junior and senior year Hill recorded a 16-7 singles mark her final year, with five of those losses coming to the state finalist. She advanced to the state championship in doubles and reached the semifinals before bowing out to the eventual state champions. The future Cav earned a state team title her senior year as Auburn defeated Radford, 5-4, in the final. Hill will be majoring in environmental science and minoring in biology after graduating in the top 10 of her class with an overall GPA above 4.2. She was a Honor Society and Beta Club member her junior year while earning all-district in band her sophomore through senior years.
 
Lawson comes to UVa-Wise after being a teammate of Church at Central H.S. and serving as team co-captain with Church her senior year. The Wise native was Central's team captain her sophomore through senior years while playing both No. 1 singles and doubles. She also played at the top spot in doubles her freshman year. Lawson earned all-conference honors as a junior and senior and was named all-athletic and all-academic as a freshman and sophomore. As a senior, Lawson finished third in the state in singles and doubles as the Warriors reached the state championship match. The future Cav was awarded the Spring Sports Leadership Award her final year. Lawson's father, James, is a former UVa-Wise men's tennis player. An Honors Society and Mu Alpha Theta member, Lawson graduated high school with honors and will be a business major.
 
Simmons, a native of Low Moor, Virginia (Alleghany H.S.), comes to UVa-Wise after serving as tennis team co-captain her senior year of high school. The future Cav played at the No. 4 singles spot her junior year and No. 2 singles as a senior. Simmons compiled a 10-6 singles record and finished with a 9-7 doubles mark her senior year. A S.A.D.D. Club member and a part of the Color Guard at Alleghany, Simmons will be majoring in mathematics.
 
A Wise, Virginia (John I. Burton H.S.), native Pientka will stay in his hometown to play for the Cavs after being a three-year letter winner in high school. As a sophomore, Pientka was a doubles regional runner-up and earned All-Lonesome Pine District honors. Pientka was team captain both his junior and senior year while claiming Cumberland Conference singles and doubles titles. He is a two-time All-Cumberland Conference MVP and placed fourth in the regionals in singles and second in doubles as a junior. Pientka chose UVa-Wise for its IT program and will be majoring in computer science.
 
UVa-Wise men's tennis will open up the fall portion of its season with a home match against Tusculum College Monday, September 7. The Cavalier women's tennis team begins their season Saturday, September 5, at 10 a.m. on the road against Bluefield College.