The Carthage Lady Tigers enter the 2026 girls tennis season excited about the amount of varsity experience returning to the program. Head coach Madelynn Capps-Whitley has a group that includes many returning varsity players and athletes with previous varsity match experience. The team’s underclassmen have also spent the offseason playing and improving their skills, creating an encouraging combination of experience, development and enthusiasm for the sport.

Competition within the lineup will be a defining part of the season. Most of Carthage’s top varsity players are returning, which should make challenge matches meaningful as the Lady Tigers determine their MVP and No. 1 player. That internal competition can help the team continue improving, since players will have regular opportunities to test themselves and earn positions. The group’s work ethic and passion for tennis give the program a strong environment for that process.

Sophomore Madelynn Reed is one returning player to watch. Reed already has varsity experience and continues to seek improvement by taking lessons at Millennium Family Fitness in Joplin and playing tennis whenever she can in her free time. As a freshman, she regularly played the No. 7 position, but she also competed at the No. 6 varsity spot at districts. That experience gives her a valuable starting point as she continues to develop over the next three years.

Sophomore Josi Moffatt contributes a different but equally important kind of value. She brings a welcoming smile to the team, offers help to fellow players and assists with equipment. Moffatt is known for not complaining, enjoying humor with teammates and carrying a clear passion for tennis. She learned tennis skills, etiquette and a positive attitude from her mother, and she continues to work hard to improve.

Carthage has the ingredients for an engaging season: experienced varsity returners, underclassmen dedicated to offseason growth and spirited challenge matches that will push everyone forward. Reed’s competitive development and Moffatt’s team-first positivity illustrate the qualities the Lady Tigers can build around. As the lineup takes shape, Carthage will look to translate its depth, hard work and passion into steady progress throughout the 2026 season. The focus will remain on daily improvement, positive leadership and doing the small things that help the entire team move forward together.

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