- Senior Spotlight – Aidan Lee

Senior Spotlight – Aidan Lee Name: Aidan Lee Age: 18 Birthday: August 12 Hometown: Baton Rouge, LA and Houston, TX High School: Catholic High School (LA) Woodlands High School (TX) Laurel Springs (SC) College Commitment: Colgate College Mascot: Raiders Collegiate Conference: Patriot League   If there’s ever a prime example of how to make lemonade out of lemons, then look no further than the Smith Stearns journey of Aidan Lee. Little did Aidan Lee know that a Spring break trip … read more


- Senior Spotlight – Ella Faessler

Senior Spotlight – Ella Faessler “Ella is a great competitor and full of talent.. she is going to thrive in the college atmosphere and I truly believe she is going to do great in college tennis.” – B.J. Stearns, Academy Director   Name: Ella Faessler Age: 17 Birthday: February 18 Hometown: Hilton Head Island, SC High School: Hilton Head Preparatory School College Commitment: College of Charleston College  Mascot: Cougars Collegiate Conference: Colonial Athletic Association Sprinting from side-to-side on court, she … read more


- Senior Spotlight – Savie Seebald

Senior Spotlight – Savie Seebald Name: Savarin Seebald Age: 19 Birthday: July 2, 2002 Hometown: Great Falls, Virginia/ Hilton Head Island, South Carolina High School: Hilton Head Preparatory College Commitment: Villanova University College Mascot: Wildcat Collegiate Conference: Big East   If you were to look around the Academy, you’d see many, many different students – male and female, big and small, outgoing and laid back. In fact, Smith Stearns Tennis Academy attracts all kinds of student athletes of a variety … read more


- 2021 Year in Review

    2021 was another successful year at Smith Stearns! Our students dazzled on the pro circuit, in college, and in juniors!   Smith Stearns Tennis Academy students and alumni brought their A-game, despite the lingering pandemic! They pushed themselves to super high levels - both on and off court. Smith Stearns academy students aced their matches at USTA super national tournaments, taking home: 2 Gold Balls, 4 Silver Balls, and 1 Bronze Ball! This success also included additional great … read more

- Senior Spotlight – Akari Matsuno

Senior Spotlight – Akari Matsuno Name: Akari Matsuno Age:18 Birthday: December 11, 2003 Hometown: Hoffman Estates High School: William Fremd High School, Hilton Head Preparatory College Commitment: Notre Dame College Mascot: Fighting Irish Collegiate Conference: ACC Focus, drive, and commitment: these three attributes aptly describe one of the most successful women athletes to come through Smith Stearns Tennis Academy. In fact, confident and lovely like Belle, her favorite Disney character, graduating senior Akari Matsuno is a charming force to be … read more


- Senior Spotlight – Sanjana Tallamraju

Senior Spotlight – Sanjana Tallamraju Name: Sanjana Tallamraju (Sanj) Age: 17 Birthday: December 10 Hometown: Munster, Indiana High School: Hilton Head Preparatory College Commitment: University of Toledo College Mascot: Rockets Collegiate Conference: MAC Conference Tall, athletic, and statuesque, Sanjana Tallamraju, is a formidable opponent on any tennis court. As the top ranked recruit ever to be named to the University of Toledo women’s tennis squad, Sanjana has much to be proud of from her junior career. Whether playing singles or … read more


- Senior Spotlight – Madison Cordisco

Senior Spotlight – Madison Cordisco Student: Madison Cordisco Birthday: December 31 Age: 17 Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA High School: Hilton Head Prep College Commitment: Elon University College Mascot: Phoenix Collegiate Conference: CAA   Senior Madison Cordisco joined Smith Stearns Tennis Academy in 2019.  According to houseparent Eileen Gilchrist, “Madison has blossomed from a shy teenager into a beautiful, outgoing young lady, filled with kindness and love.” Madison enrolled at the Academy hoping it would be one of the best decisions she’d ever … read more


- Smith Stearns announces the College Commitments for their Class of 2020

Smith Stearns would like to announce the college commitments of seventeen of our students who have shown resiliency and commitment during their senior year. This group of amazing student-athletes is one of the largest graduating classes we have had at the academy. They have worked hard both on and off the court to achieve both their athletic and academic goals, setting themselves up for the next chapter in their lives. They are off to further their education at some of … read more

- Smith Stearns Honors 15 Seniors at College Commitment Ceremony

Smith Stearns would like to announce the college commitments of fifteen of our students who were honored at our Senior Graduation Ceremony on May 23, 2018. This is truly an amazing group of student-athletes who have worked very hard to achieve success both on and off the court. Now they are off to further their education at some of the best colleges and tennis programs in the country. We are so proud of all of them and wish them the … read more

- 2017, Wow what a year!

As the ball dropped and 2017 came to a close its worth reminiscing on the 2017 Smith Stearns students produced. The year saw them take home four Gold Balls, eight Silver Balls, and two Bronze Balls at 2017 Super Nationals.