Betsy Nagelsen McCormack

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State College of Florida

Mark H. and Betsy Nagelsen McCormack formed a husband and wife team whose vision, dedication and generosity have created countless new opportunities in women’s tennis. With their gift of the McCormack-Nagelsen Tennis Center at the College of William & Mary, they have provided an ideal home for the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s Women’s Hall of Fame and an inspiring site for future champions.

Betsy Nagelsen McCormack has made her mark on women’s tennis as an internationally ranked player, setting a standard of sportsmanship for younger champions to emulate. The world’s top junior player in 1973 and winner of the prestigious USTA Girls’ Sportsmanship Award, Nagelsen became known for her powerful serve-and-volley game, scoring singles victories over Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, among others, along with winning more than 30 major singles and doubles titles. She was a four-time member of the U.S. Wightman Cup Team in 1974, 1985, 1988 and 1989.

Playing in her 20th consecutive main draw at Wimbledon in 1993, Nagelsen won the over-35 women’s doubles championship, and went on to win back-to-back titles in the U.S. Open Senior women’s doubles in 1993 and 1994. At the same time, she continued to contribute her expertise as a regular tennis commentator for American television networks ABC and ESPN, and for Australia’s Channel Nine.

In 1975, as Women’s World Doubles Champion, she received the largest prize money (with partner Wendy Turnbull) in the history of women’s tennis.