Nov. 13, 2015

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SPRINGFIELD - Missouri State women's tennis coach Mallory Weber announced Friday, Nov. 13, that Alye Darter, Taylor Gray and Alexia Meyer have signed their National Letters of Intent to continue their careers and attend Missouri State at the start of the 2016-17 school year.

"I am really excited about this recruiting class," Weber said. "We have big shoes to fill graduating two seniors that have been staples in both our singles and doubles lineup. All three of these recruits come from tough junior sections; Alye (Darter) from the Southern Section, Taylor (Gray) from the Texas Section and Alexia (Meyer) from the Midwest Section. They are used to playing against tough competition and all three have the desire to improve. I think this class will have a big impact on this team not only as freshmen, but throughout their four years at Missouri State."

Alye Darter | Rogers, Arkansas | Rogers Heritage High School
Alye Darter is listed as a four-star recruit and the first-ranked player coming out of Arkansas in the 2016 recruiting class, according to TennisRecruiting.net. Rated the 188th recruit in the nation, Darter earned a runner-up finish in singles play in her last appearance at the state meet for Rogers Heritage High School as a junior.

Previously, Darter earned state championships in singles play as a freshman and sophomore, while also helping lead the War Eagles at their No. 1 singles slot to consecutive runner-up finishes at the state championships those two seasons. Darter has been active outside of tennis for Rogers Heritage's volleyball team, serving as a three-year starter and letterwinner, playing primarily as a libero.

Darter has had several successful appearances on the United States Tennis Association scene. The Rogers, Arkansas, native has won the Arkansas Junior Closed State Championship and the Aquafina RTC Junior Open State Championship in singles in the past 12 months.

Weber on Darter
"I have been impressed with Alye's athletic ability on court as well as her leadership skills. She has the potential to make a big impact right away for us. She played both tennis and volleyball in high school and the team skills that she gained from volleyball will transfer well into college tennis."

Taylor Gray | Wichita Falls, Texas | Rider High School
Taylor Gray heads into her senior year of tennis individually this spring as a three-star recruit and the 23rd-ranked player out of Texas in the 2016 recruiting class, according to TennisRecruiting.net. The 210th player in the country according to the website, Gray finished runner-up at the state meet in singles as a junior in the largest class of high school institutions in Texas. Gray has played at the No. 1 singles slot for Rider High School for four years, accumulating over 80 wins during that span.

She has also been part of Raiders squads that earned first-place finishes at Texas District and Area Tournaments three out of her four high school seasons. She's earned all-district selections each year of high school competition, including MVP awards from her district as a sophomore and junior.

The Wichita Falls, Texas, native has been involved outside of high school tennis at the USTA level. Gray has won 125 combined singles and doubles match over the last four years in USTA competition. Highlights of Gray's include first-place finishes in doubles at the Alamo City, Austin and Corpus Christi Super Championships.

Weber on Gray
"Growing up playing tennis in Texas is no easy task and Taylor has excelled both in high school and the USTA. Her experience in juniors and high school tennis has prepared her well for this next step, and I look for her to continue to grow and excel at the college level."

Alexia Meyer | Powell, Ohio | Olentangy Liberty High School
Alexia Meyer is a three-star recruit and the fourth-ranked player out of the state of Ohio, according to TennisRecruiting.net. The 237th-ranked player in the class of 2016, Meyer comes off a senior season in which she helped clinch her high school's first conference championship in program history.

Meyer has served as the No. 1 singles player for the Olentangy Liberty High School Patriots for four years, earning over 75 career victories during that span. A Division I state qualifier as a junior and senior, Meyer also won two section championships and was named a conference player of the year as a senior.

The Powell, Ohio, native has also found success on the USTA circuit. Meyer won singles and doubles Midwest Championships heading into her sophomore season, a Girls' 16 Regional Open Doubles Championships as a junior and a Girls' 18 Doubles Ohio Valley District Championship ahead of her senior year.

Weber on Meyer
"Alexia is a true fighter on court and will be a tough out. Her will to win and ability to grind out matches will serve us well. She is a hardworking kid who I think will continue to improve at the collegiate level."

The Missouri State women's tennis team begins its 2016 spring schedule at Cooper Tennis Complex, hosting Wichita State at 1 p.m. Friday, Jan. 15.

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