Auburn seniors Spencer Gray and Jan Galka said goodbye to their time on the Plains following the 2022-23 season and both have fond memories of their Auburn experiences.
Gray came to Auburn as a freshman in the fall of 2019 and played four seasons for head coach Bobby Reynolds while Galka spent three seasons with the Tigers after transferring from Louisiana-Lafayette.
"I couldn't be happier to have coached and mentored both Jan and Spencer for the last three or four years," Reynolds said. "They've been unbelievable ambassadors of our program, both on and off the court, and they'll be missed by us coaches. But I also know they'll be missed by the team and they're going to be successful in whatever they do going forward."
Gray came out of high school ranked in the class of 2019 as the No. 36 recruit in the nation and seventh-rated recruit among Florida players. The Boca Raton native was a national L3 doubles champion and played in a number of UTSA National L2 events as well.
When it came to making a college decision, the choice was clear.
"When I came here for my visit I really fell in love with the campus," said Gray. "The whole vibe of the athletics program that they have here is really special. I had a good connection with the coaches on my visit as well. And I just really fell in love with the whole program of Auburn. I was really passionate about what the coaches wanted to build here and I wanted to be a part of that."
During his time on campus, Gray received many accolades for his leadership and academic achievements including being named to the SEC Community Service Team twice and the SEC Academic Honor Roll three times. Gray was also honored as a PNC Achiever in the fall of 2021, which is awarded to one male and one female student-athlete each semester for well-rounded leadership, academic success and community engagement.
The Auburn senior finished his final season with a 47-30 career singles record and an 11-12 career doubles record. One of the most notable matches Gray played during his time at Auburn was his 7-6 (5), 6-2 singles victory during the quarterfinals of the 2022 SEC Tournament that helped the Tigers upset No. 9 South Carolina.
"What makes Auburn a special place is definitely the people," Gray continued. "The people that I've met here are people I will know for the rest of my life. They are friends for life, from all walks of life, different personalities, different parts of the country and different parts of the world, but they're all so similar in the sense that Auburn is home for them.
"I think a place is only as good as the people that you're around and I think Auburn is really special in that sense that every single person that I've met at Auburn has been incredible. And even when I'm not in Auburn, I'll still be a part of Auburn for the rest of my life."
Galka spent three years at Auburn after playing his first two college seasons at Louisiana-Lafayette. Galka went 10-9 in his freshman season with the Ragin Cajuns and was named first team all-conference.
After making the change to the Plains prior to the 2020 fall season, Galka finished his career with a 62-55 singles record and a 78-32 doubles record (45-44 singles and 56-26 doubles at Auburn). During his final season at Auburn, Galka posted a 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 win to defeat No. 14 Arizona and claim Auburn's first Blue-Gray National Tennis Classic title since 1984.
The Warsaw, Poland, native says that making the change to play under Reynolds and associate head coach Chris Hooshyar was pivotal in his life.
"Over the years, I've gotten different experiences, and playing for Bobby and Chris has been an honor," said Galka. "I would say I learned a lot about tennis and other things in life over the course of my time at Auburn. I will definitely remember some of those lessons for the rest of my life."
When asked about what he will take away from his time at Auburn the most, his friendships and teammates were at the top of his list.
"The friendships I've made are very special to me," Galka continued. "Hopefully some of them will stay with me for the rest of my life. The team environment with all the things we go through to achieve the goals. When I look back at it, those are the best memories I've made in college. We worked hard for something and played some tough matches together. You and the other guys next to you fighting for the same goal is pretty cool."
Gray, who received his finance degree from the Harbert College of Business in May, plans to continue his higher education and collegiate tennis career by entering the masters program at the University of Charlotte. Galka, who graduated with a degree in business management and utilized his final season of NCAA eligibility this spring, will also be entering post-graduate school in the Masters of Business Administration program at Auburn.