LEBANON, Ill. – McKendree University men's tennis coach René Vidal has announced the late addition of Alex Pinkston to the Bearcats roster for the upcoming 2022 spring season.

""We are excited to have Alex join the McKendree Tennis family," Vidal said. "Alex is a very solid player who is known for his hard work and resilience, two qualities we value highly in our leadership culture."

Pinkston, who will be a freshman this spring with the Bearcats, comes to McKendree after playing in the first semester of the 2021-22 school year at Indiana University East, an NAIA program located in Richmond, Ind. During the 2021 fall season with the Red Wolves, Pinkston went 6-0 in singles play, including taking home the No. 6 singles title at the River States Conference Fall Invitational and was 4-2 in doubles, including winning the fifth place match at No. 2 doubles at the River States Conference Fall Invitational.

"I am honored and extremely grateful to Coach Vidal for allowing me the opportunity to compete at such a high level program," Pinkston said. "I am beyond excited to embark on my academic and athletic journey at McKendree University. The incredible facilities combined with the high athletic and academic standards will allow me to push myself to improve as a person and a student-athlete."

Prior to beginning his collegiate career at IUE, Pinkston was a standout high school tennis player at Castle High School in Newburgh, Ind. As a high school player, Pinkston was a Second-Team All-State performer in doubles as a senior for Castle's Indiana Regional championship team. Along with earning All-State honors as a senior, he earned Second-Team All-State honors in singles in 2019 as Castle took home an Indiana Sectional championship. He was also selected to the Indiana All-Star Team as a senior.

In his high school career, Pinkston posted a 44-7 record in singles and was the school's No. 1 doubles player.

Former IUE Coach Jacob Rankin says that Pinkston is very a hard worker and very coachable.

"Alex is one of the hardest working athletes I've ever met. He is extremely coachable and beyond athletics, he is just an overall great person," Rankin said.

Pinkston will join a McKendree men's tennis team that posted a 3-0 record in dual matches during the fall season and will open its spring season on Friday, Feb. 11 with a home match at the St. Clair Tennis Center in Belleville, Ill., against Missouri Baptist University.