September 24, 2025

Four Eagles Head to ITA Fall Regionals in Sumter, S.C.

Keegan Nelson, Alexandre Post, Louis Keenan and Darko Kovelski get the nod from coach Gangelhoff

https://youtu.be/aQzL4D6ontE

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Four members of the Carson-Newman men's tennis team will make their fall debuts this weekend at the ITA Fall Southeast Regional in Sumter, South Carolina. Keegan Nelson and junior Alexandre Post will compete in singles, while sophomores Louis Keenan and Darko Kovelski team up in doubles.

The ITA Fall Regional is unique compared to other fall events, as it is individual-based and closely related to the style of professional tournaments. However, for head coach Nathan Gangelhoff he still expects the same team camaraderie.

"We still expect all of our players to have great team energy, even if they're playing by themselves," Gangelhoff said. We want them to be cheering for not just themselves, but for the school, for the program, and their teammates who will be playing on maybe later that day."

When it came to Nelson and Post, Gangelhoff focused on his own rule as a coach.

"Our upperclassmen get that first go, they don't have any more opportunities to be able to make this trip, so it's a fun event for them to go to," Gangelhoff said. "That's kind of been my rule where, if you've been an upperclassman, you've been with us, then you definitely have earned it."

Nelson, a native of Elk River, Minnesota, is in his sophomore year. As a freshman, he posted a 0-3 record in singles, while going 1-2 in doubles.

Carson-Newman marks the third school in three years for Post. He spent this past season at Post University in Connecticut and his freshman year at Cameron University. While at Cameron, he notched a 10-3 record and picked up All-Lone Star Conference honors.

As for choosing the doubles pairing of Keenan and Kovelski, that choice presented itself through practice.

"When we look at what doubles combinations have worked that we really want to see up against really good competition," Gangelhoff said. "So that was why we wanted to put Darko and Louis together in ITAs."

In his first year with Carson-Newman, Keenan finished with a 5-6 record overall and a 3-3 record in SAC play. He mainly played at the No. 4 position. In doubles, his partnership with Gjorgi Jankulovski went 11-5, the second-best record on the team.

Kovelski is in his first year on the banks of Mossy Creek. He spent last season with Eastern Kentucky, where he posted a 0-4 record with all his appearances coming in the No. 6 spot.

Gangelhoff's mindset for this weekend is framed with a focus on the bigger picture.

"Even though it's individually based, we still want all our players to get better. So, we're going to continue to preach on team mentality and team work ethic, that's going to continue, whether you're at ITAs or not," Gangelhoff said. "I think for going forward, even after ITA, that we want to really harp on, how can we get better as a team? How can we get better in our doubles combinations, and can we compete at the highest level?"

The ITA Fall Southeast Regional starts on Friday, September 26, at the Palmetto Tennis Center in Sumter, South Carolina.