Fort Bend ISD (June 4, 2025) – Kempner High School senior Noey Do etched his name into the record books by becoming the first player in UIL history to win four consecutive 5A Boys Singles Tennis State Championships.

But his historic defeat did not come easily. A leg cramp during the second set of his final match tested Do’s resilience, forcing him into a third set.

“We felt pretty confident going into the final match, but everything changed when his leg cramped,” Kempner Tennis Coach Anne Southard said. “It was very scary and intense because we didn’t want to go out that way.”

“It made me doubt myself,” Do said. “The possibility of getting second place for the first time was really present.”

Still, Do was determined not to disappoint his coaches, parents and the community who traveled to San Antonio to support him.

Earlier, Kempner Principal Dr. Danielle Jackson offered to organize a fan bus so Do’s friends and teachers could be there to cheer him on. Coach Southard was initially hesitant because she is superstitious, and it was not something they had done in the previous three years.

Ultimately, they decided to schedule a bus, and it may have made all the difference.

During the break between the second and third sets, he managed to recover physically and regain his focus.

“My mindset literally dictated the entire third set,” Do said. “Every time I won a point, I would look back into the sea of maroon and see so many people cheering for me.”

The final score of the match was 6-1, 3-6 and 6-1.

Do will continue his tennis career at Rice University this fall while studying business and economics. As for Coach Southard, she will retire from coaching tennis but will continue teaching.

“It’s been an amazing year to go out on,” Southard said. "This senior class is one of my all-time favorites – a truly great group of students. But it’s time, and I’m glad to have been a part of this journey.”

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