USTA TN Award Winners

2025 AWARD WINNERS

USTA TN AWARD WINNERS

Congratulations to our 2025 Award Winners! These winners will be recognized at the USTA Tennessee Annual Meeting in February 2026.
Click on the Arrow on the right to learn more about each award and winner.

Reggie Vachon (Chattanooga)
Awarded to an outstanding adult league captain in Tennessee who has achieved a level of excellence in captaining, demonstrating character, sportsmanship and leadership.
Awarded to the individual or organization who demonstrates sustained commitment to diversity and inclusion through the following actions: actively champions, visibly embraces and celebrates diversity on and off the court by employing goals and strategies that create an inclusive environment; reaches out to a diverse audience through participation in community activities that celebrate diversity and inclusion; provides leadership opportunities that reflect interest in individual traits, skills, and talents of others; and proactively seeks opinions and gathers feedback from a diverse audience to gain additional perspectives and learn from others.
Robert Sutton (Nashville)
Matt Crawford (Williamson County)
Recognizes an individual who has developed an outstanding tennis initiative, which provides leadership and inspiration in junior programming for schools, colleges, parks and playgrounds and benefits the growth of tennis.
Knoxville Summer Slam (Deidra Dunn)
Presented to the USTA sanctioned junior tournament that best demonstrates the USTA standards of organizing and conducting a sanctioned junior event.
Ross Jackson Baker (Jonesborough)
Presented to the junior boy player who exemplifies outstanding sportsmanship, through leadership, civic responsibility, and character, while maintaining a competitive spirit.
Callie Schroeffel (Knoxville)
Presented to the junior girl player who exemplifies outstanding sportsmanship, through leadership, civic responsibility, and character, while maintaining a competitive spirit.
Knoxville Summer Slam (Deidra Dunn)
Presented to the USTA sanctioned junior tournament that best demonstrates the USTA standards of organizing and conducting a sanctioned junior event.
Alice Zhang (Bristol)
Presented to a local adult league coordinator who most contributed to the game of tennis by administering and promoting a USTA adult local league program.
Gavin Boyce (Nashville)
Given to a junior boy player in Tennessee who has demonstrated the most improved performance including character, sportsmanship and tennis ability.
Noor Sandhu (Memphis)
Given to a junior girl player in Tennessee who has demonstrated the most improved performance including character, sportsmanship and tennis ability.
William McGugin (Nashville)
Given to a junior boy player in Tennessee who has achieved a level of excellence and demonstrated the most outstanding performance including character, sportsmanship and tennis ability.
Natalie Frisbie (Gallatin)
Given to a junior girl player in Tennessee who has achieved a level of excellence and demonstrated the most outstanding performance including character, sportsmanship and tennis ability.
Dwight MacDonald (Murfreesboro)
Presented to a tennis official who has made outstanding contributions to the cause of tennis officiating.
Russell Buchi (Nashville)
Given to an adult player in Tennessee who has achieved a high level of excellence, and demonstrates the most outstanding performance including character, sportsmanship and tennis ability.
Jimmy Pitkanen (Knoxville)
Presented annually to a tennis professional who demonstrates a significant contribution to the game of tennis through their promotion of USTA Tennis Programs and their support of the USTA Mission. All nominees must be either USPTA or USPTR members.
Gary Grear (Memphis)
The USTA Southern Volunteer of the Year award is to be given annually to a person in Tennessee who has devoted exceptional time and energy to volunteer work in support of tennis in USTA Southern.
Hendersonville Parks
Awarded to the parks and recreation department that, over the past year, made the greatest impact in its community through exceptional tennis programming, facility support, and partnerships that grow the game locally.
Courtney Colton (Nashville)
Awarded to the program, park, or organization that has demonstrated outstanding commitment to expanding access, inclusion, and opportunity for individuals with disabilities through adaptive tennis programming by fostering community engagement, growth of the game, and truly inclusive play throughout Tennessee.
Lucy Heald
Presented to a wheelchair tennis player, program, volunteer, or tournament that demonstrates outstanding community service, on-court ability, event organization, and overall promotion of the sport.

PAST AWARD WINNERS

Award	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
Adult Captain of the Year	Michelle Palk	Melinda Brown	Debbie Churchey	Jennifer Lea	Joel Faidley	Amelia Fair	Bonita Sammarco	Zach Jumper
Adult Tournament of the Year	STA Sr. M/W Winter Indoor Open	Alex Wellford	Greater Knoxville Tennis Association Champs	N/A	Southern NTRP Indoor Championships	Alex Wellford Tennis Classic	Natchez Trace Adult Tennis Championships	N/A
CTA of the Year	Jackson West-TN CTA	Mountain Empire Tennis Association	Greater Knoxville Tennis Association	Greater Knoxville Tennis Association	Memphis Tennis Association	Greater Knoxville Tennis Association	Memphis Tennis Association	Clarksville Tennis Association
Educational Merit Award	Dr. Jean Heise	Catharine Sakarapanee	Heather Piergies	Nancy McDonald	Emily Albright	Len Brosky	Kristen Young	Jessica Hawk Mitchell
Family of the Year	The Karl Family	The Lalance Family	The Schroerlucke Family	N/A	The Bratton Family	Immordino Family	Patrick Family	N/A
JTT Captain of the Year	Brannon Jones	Dana Forsyth	Jill and Jerry Uhrine	N/A	Amy Gunter	Bart Kennedy	Bart Kennedy	Ben Hale
JTT Coordinator of the Year	Christian and Melissa Burns	Jill Speight	Brannon Jones	Kyle Blackburn	Tony Cherone	Kyle Blackburn	Kyle Blackburn	Michael Hayes
Junior Boy Sportsmanship Award	George Corzine	Foster Pierce	Luke Donovan	N/A	Anson Anderson	Gaurish Sahoo	Gabe Getz	Evan Ly
Junior Girl Sportsmanship Award	Maddox Bandy	Georgia Fischer	Willa Rogers	N/A	Eleni Liakonis	Carlota Moreno	Evelyn Risner	Elizabeth Fauchet
Junior Tournament of the Year	TN State Jr Qualifying 16U-18U	USTA National Girl’s 16’s Clay Courts	Boy’s 18 National Team Championships at Champions Club	Little Harpeth Junior Slam	Natureplex Jr Championships	Level 5 Dominant Duo at GPS	Hendersonville High School Invitational	N/A
Local League Coordinator of the Year	Tanya Capeling	Sara Barnett	Deidra Dunn	Laura Huss	Jackie Mills	Tanya Capeling	Isabell Snyder	Lori Boyd
Most Improved Junior Boy Player of the Year	Walker Stearns	Jaxon Lamb	Jose Garcia	N/A	Drew Holland	Rich LaLance	Jaymeson Huffman	John Walpole
Most Improved Junior Girl Player of the Year	Willa Rogers	Reagan Welch	Maraux Britt	N/A	Avery Franklin	Lillie Murphy	Cy McTorry	Ensley Baker
Most Outstanding Boy Player of the Year	Andrew Rogers	Sean Presson	Baylor Sai	Alejandro Moreno	Jose Garcia	Hank Tronsdon	Roberto Ferrer Guimaraes	Woodson McMillin
Most Outstanding Girl Player of the Year	Julia Adams	Maeve Thorton	Winslow Huth	Elizabeth Fauchet	Margaux Guibal Britt	Maeve Thornton	Elizabeth Fauchet	Carlota Moreno
Official of the Year	Carla Brangenberg	Andrew Rogers	Donna Mille-Williams	Carey Lowndes	Kathy Bull	Sayra Thacker	Kathy Bull	Tiffany Webb
Outstanding Adult Player of the Year	Tennys Sandgren	Fran Chandler	Catherine Harrison	Tennys Sandgren	Carien Venter	John Chesworth	Andrew Rogers	John Chestworth
Outstanding Wheelchair Player of the Year	David Jordan	Michelle Wilson	Michael Paul	N/A	Troy Wise	Noah Schepman	Michelle Wilson	N/A
Special Tennis Event of the Year	Boys and Girls Club of Greater Memphis Tennis Invitational	Davis Cup	McKinney Dahlstrom 10U Circuit Series	N/A	Music City Wheelchair Classic	Middle Tennessee Tennis League Tournament	TMSAA Middle School Champs	N/A
Tennis Professional of the Year	Meg Bandy	Rob Cameron	Ted Measley	Eric Voges	Scott Patrick	Mark Bran	Andy Veal	Neil Stapp
Volunteer of the Year	Cheryl Thompson	Sara Mosley	Roger Ross	Nancy Vineyard	Steve Riley	Linda Swope	Linda Swope	Amy Gibson
USTA Southern Volunteer Service Award	Cheryl Thompson	Cheryl Thompson	Mary Cook	Elizabeth Walker	Linda Swope	Joan Arney	Ann Marie Flynn	N/A
Diversity & Inclusion Champion (started 2019)	N/A	N/A	Terrance Quattlebaum	Joe Goldthreate	Andy Mizell	Kyle Burton	Venecca Green	N/A

To see past Award Winners please view on a Computer or Tablet.

2025 AWARD WINNERS

USTA TN AWARD WINNERS

Congratulations to our 2025 Award Winners! These winners will be recognized at the USTA Tennessee Annual Meeting in February 2026. Click on the Arrow on the right to learn more about each award and winner.

Reggie Vachon (Chattanooga)

Awarded to an outstanding adult league captain in Tennessee who has achieved a level of excellence in captaining, demonstrating character, sportsmanship and leadership.

Robert Sutton (Nashville)

Matt Crawford (Williamson County)

Recognizes an individual who has developed an outstanding tennis initiative, which provides leadership and inspiration in junior programming for schools, colleges, parks and playgrounds and benefits the growth of tennis.

Knoxville Summer Slam (Deidra Dunn)

Presented to the USTA sanctioned junior tournament that best demonstrates the USTA standards of organizing and conducting a sanctioned junior event.

Ross Jackson Baker (Jonesborough)

Presented to the junior boy player who exemplifies outstanding sportsmanship, through leadership, civic responsibility, and character, while maintaining a competitive spirit.

Callie Schroeffel (Knoxville)

Presented to the junior girl player who exemplifies outstanding sportsmanship, through leadership, civic responsibility, and character, while maintaining a competitive spirit.

Knoxville Summer Slam (Deidra Dunn)

Presented to the USTA sanctioned junior tournament that best demonstrates the USTA standards of organizing and conducting a sanctioned junior event.

Alice Zhang (Bristol)

Presented to a local adult league coordinator who most contributed to the game of tennis by administering and promoting a USTA adult local league program.

Gavin Boyce (Nashville)

Given to a junior boy player in Tennessee who has demonstrated the most improved performance including character, sportsmanship and tennis ability.

Noor Sandhu (Memphis)

Given to a junior girl player in Tennessee who has demonstrated the most improved performance including character, sportsmanship and tennis ability.

William McGugin (Nashville)

Given to a junior boy player in Tennessee who has achieved a level of excellence and demonstrated the most outstanding performance including character, sportsmanship and tennis ability.

Natalie Frisbie (Gallatin)

Given to a junior girl player in Tennessee who has achieved a level of excellence and demonstrated the most outstanding performance including character, sportsmanship and tennis ability.

Dwight MacDonald (Murfreesboro)

Presented to a tennis official who has made outstanding contributions to the cause of tennis officiating.

Russell Buchi (Nashville)

Given to an adult player in Tennessee who has achieved a high level of excellence, and demonstrates the most outstanding performance including character, sportsmanship and tennis ability.

Jimmy Pitkanen (Knoxville)

Presented annually to a tennis professional who demonstrates a significant contribution to the game of tennis through their promotion of USTA Tennis Programs and their support of the USTA Mission. All nominees must be either USPTA or USPTR members.

Gary Grear (Memphis)

The USTA Southern Volunteer of the Year award is to be given annually to a person in Tennessee who has devoted exceptional time and energy to volunteer work in support of tennis in USTA Southern.

Hendersonville Parks

Awarded to the parks and recreation department that, over the past year, made the greatest impact in its community through exceptional tennis programming, facility support, and partnerships that grow the game locally.

Courtney Colton (Nashville)

Lucy Heald

Presented to a wheelchair tennis player, program, volunteer, or tournament that demonstrates outstanding community service, on-court ability, event organization, and overall promotion of the sport.

PAST AWARD WINNERS

Congratulations to our 2025 Award Winners! These winners will be recognized at the USTA Tennessee Annual Meeting in February 2026.
Click on the Arrow on the right to learn more about each award and winner.