Caroline Kilpatrick still has her senior season of tennis to play for the Brookhaven High Panthers. Last week, Kilpatrick nailed down where she’ll play the sport after high school by signing a letter-of-intent with the Jones College Bobcats.

The Jones College coaching staff saw and loved the toughness and versatility that has made Kilpatrick such an important part of the MHSAA 5A powerhouse tennis program at Brookhaven High.

As an eighth grader, Kilpatrick paired with Robert Adcock to win her first 5A individual championship in mixed doubles. The next year, Kilpatrick teamed with Lucy Allen to win the girls’ doubles state championship.

After falling short of a championship as a sophomore, Kilpatrick bounced back last season to win another mixed doubles championship, this one with Cohen Leggett.

Brooks Buffington coaches tennis at Jones in Ellisville. The Bobcats went 22-0 last season and finished seventh overall at the NJCAA national tournament in Tyler, Texas. Jones has won the NJCAA Region 23 championship four straight times.

Kilpatrick isn’t the Panther to make the transition to being a Bobcat as Jones has also signed Ole Brook alums Daniel Panzica and Madison Currie in the past.

“Coach Brooks reached out to me at the beginning of the school year to get me on a visit,” said Kilpatrick. “I attended their youth camp my eighth-grade year and from that point on I’ve been following the program. It’s a top-notch program, a winning one, and a place that I knew I wanted to be a part of since I was in junior high.”