top of page
2002 Hall of Fame Inductions
People Who Changed The Game
In 2002, we inducted 6 incredible women into the Hall of Fame. Each of their legacies has created a lasting impact on the sport of tennis and will for the rest of time.
Inductees
Ann Valentine
Admired for her impeccable standards of sportsmanship, Ann Valentine (b. 1932) coached the Brigham Young University Women’s Tennis team for three decades while leading a national effort to advance intercollegiate competition for women. Valentine joined the BYU faculty in 1965 as an instructor and rose to the rank of professor in 1989, also serving as assistant and later associate director of women’s athletics. Playing an increasingly challenging schedule, her teams won 15 conference championships, earned 12 Top 10 national rankings, and captured 31 individual All-America citations.
Valentine’s many “firsts” include her successful campaign, with Anne Pittman of Arizona State, for team championships at the women’s national collegiate tournament. She created the first national indoor round-robin team competition – now an ITA Grand Slam event.
Devoting countless hours to directing tournaments, conducting clinics, and chairing committees, Valentine received the ITA Rolex Meritorious Service Award in 1996, a year after being named the Wilson ITA National Division I Coach of the Year.
Valentine’s many “firsts” include her successful campaign, with Anne Pittman of Arizona State, for team championships at the women’s national collegiate tournament. She created the first national indoor round-robin team competition – now an ITA Grand Slam event.
Devoting countless hours to directing tournaments, conducting clinics, and chairing committees, Valentine received the ITA Rolex Meritorious Service Award in 1996, a year after being named the Wilson ITA National Division I Coach of the Year.
Betty Rosenquest Pratt
With a playing career spanning six decades, Betty Rosenquest Pratt (b. 1925) holds more than 75 USTA national senior titles. Pratt, who came up through the Junior Wightman Cup system, won the USTA Girls’ Sportsmanship Award in 1943 and became a standout player at Rollins College. Competing on the international circuit from 1949 to 1968, she achieved a Top 10 national and world ranking, was a Wimbledon and U.S. National semifinalist, and reached the U.S. doubles finals with Rollins teammate Shirley Fry in 1956.
Also an outstanding coach and organizer, Pratt directed the Caribbean Tennis Circuit for more than a decade, assisted Rollins coach Ginny Mack, and captained both the U.S. Wightman and Fed Cup teams in the late 1960s. As co-founder of the National Senior Women’s Tennis Association in 1976, she successfully campaigned for national tournaments on all four surfaces and helped expand competition to 11 age divisions. Continuing to compete through-out the 1980s and ’90s, Pratt is a seven-time winner of the ITF World Championships in the 60, 65 and 70 age groups.
Also an outstanding coach and organizer, Pratt directed the Caribbean Tennis Circuit for more than a decade, assisted Rollins coach Ginny Mack, and captained both the U.S. Wightman and Fed Cup teams in the late 1960s. As co-founder of the National Senior Women’s Tennis Association in 1976, she successfully campaigned for national tournaments on all four surfaces and helped expand competition to 11 age divisions. Continuing to compete through-out the 1980s and ’90s, Pratt is a seven-time winner of the ITF World Championships in the 60, 65 and 70 age groups.
Jeanna Arth
A lifelong Minnesotan, Jeanne Arth (b. 1935) reached the pinnacle of tennis with just four months’ practice time each year. With her powerful forehand, penetrating volleys and unshakable poise, Arth excelled in national junior competition and dominated the USTA’s Northern Section for two decades.
From 1954 to 1956, as a student at the College of St. Catherine, she swept the doubles and was a three-time singles finalist at the groundbreaking National College Girls’ Tournament in St. Louis.
In 1957, Arth joined the international circuit while employed as a full-time high school teacher, and attained a remarkable No. 7 national ranking. The following year, she and partner Darlene Hard captured the U.S. doubles title as an unseeded team, winning a thrilling three-set match against top-seeded Althea Gibson and Maria Bueno. The pair repeated their victory in 1959, also taking the Wimbledon doubles crown. Retiring from the circuit at the top of her game, Arth continued a distinguished 37-year career as an educator and counselor.
From 1954 to 1956, as a student at the College of St. Catherine, she swept the doubles and was a three-time singles finalist at the groundbreaking National College Girls’ Tournament in St. Louis.
In 1957, Arth joined the international circuit while employed as a full-time high school teacher, and attained a remarkable No. 7 national ranking. The following year, she and partner Darlene Hard captured the U.S. doubles title as an unseeded team, winning a thrilling three-set match against top-seeded Althea Gibson and Maria Bueno. The pair repeated their victory in 1959, also taking the Wimbledon doubles crown. Retiring from the circuit at the top of her game, Arth continued a distinguished 37-year career as an educator and counselor.
Laura DuPont
The U.S. Collegiate singles champion in 1970, Laura DuPont (b. 1949) became the first woman to win a national title in any sport for the University of North Carolina. Born in Louisville, Kentucky, where she learned tennis on public courts, DuPont moved to North Carolina as a teenager and quickly dominated the state’s junior championships.
Named North Carolina AAU Athlete of the Year in 1970, DuPont lettered in both tennis and basketball at UNC and was a three-time Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Singles Champion. DuPont joined the inter-national circuit immediately after her graduation in 1972, taking the German, Canadian and Argentine Open singles titles and rising to a No. 10 world ranking in 1977.
A board member for the Women’s Tennis Association in its founding years, she served as WTA treasurer and vice president between 1975 and 1981. A longtime teaching pro in Baltimore, DuPont returned to North Carolina in 1997, where she fought “the greatest match of my life” against breast cancer. She passed away in February 2002.
Named North Carolina AAU Athlete of the Year in 1970, DuPont lettered in both tennis and basketball at UNC and was a three-time Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Singles Champion. DuPont joined the inter-national circuit immediately after her graduation in 1972, taking the German, Canadian and Argentine Open singles titles and rising to a No. 10 world ranking in 1977.
A board member for the Women’s Tennis Association in its founding years, she served as WTA treasurer and vice president between 1975 and 1981. A longtime teaching pro in Baltimore, DuPont returned to North Carolina in 1997, where she fought “the greatest match of my life” against breast cancer. She passed away in February 2002.
Nancy Corse Reed
Capturing her first U.S. senior title at age 40, Nancy Corse Reed (b. 1933) has amassed more than 90 national and international titles to date. A talented high school athlete in suburban Washington, D.C., Reed took up tennis at age 15 and went on to earn the No. 1 spot on her Rollins College team.
Teaching full-time for a decade and earning a master’s degree, she played on the international circuit from 1964 to 1970 and attained a USTA Top 25 ranking. As a senior player, Reed was ranked No. 1 nationally in singles and doubles by the USTA in all but one age group.
Competing internationally on every USTA senior cup team from the 40 to 65 age groups, Reed also claimed singles and doubles victories at the ITF World Championships throughout the 1990s. A dedicated teacher and tireless volunteer for three decades, including two stints organizing ITF world team and individual tournaments in Florida, Reed won the prestigious USTA Service Bowl Award in 1999.
Teaching full-time for a decade and earning a master’s degree, she played on the international circuit from 1964 to 1970 and attained a USTA Top 25 ranking. As a senior player, Reed was ranked No. 1 nationally in singles and doubles by the USTA in all but one age group.
Competing internationally on every USTA senior cup team from the 40 to 65 age groups, Reed also claimed singles and doubles victories at the ITF World Championships throughout the 1990s. A dedicated teacher and tireless volunteer for three decades, including two stints organizing ITF world team and individual tournaments in Florida, Reed won the prestigious USTA Service Bowl Award in 1999.
Pam Richmond Champagne
An exemplary scholar-athlete at Arizona State University, Pam Richmond Champagne (b. 1950) captured three national collegiate titles while earning her B.A. degree in psychology, summa cum laude. Only 5 feet, 1/2 inches tall, Champagne powered her way to the Top 10 in national junior competition in the 1960s, after taking up tennis at age 11 in her native Kansas City.
As an ASU freshman in 1969, she reached the singles final of the national collegiate championships, playing against Hall of Famer Emilie Burrer Foster. In her junior year in 1971, Champagne won a remarkable set of victories, sweeping the singles, doubles and team championships in national collegiate competition. She repeated her doubles victory the following year with teammate and Hall of Famer Peggy Michel, was a singles finalist, and again helped lead the ASU Sun Devils to a national title.
After graduation, Champagne competed on the Virginia Slims satellite circuit, worked as a teaching professional, and later became a top sales manager. She now coaches business executives as owner of The Champagne Group.
As an ASU freshman in 1969, she reached the singles final of the national collegiate championships, playing against Hall of Famer Emilie Burrer Foster. In her junior year in 1971, Champagne won a remarkable set of victories, sweeping the singles, doubles and team championships in national collegiate competition. She repeated her doubles victory the following year with teammate and Hall of Famer Peggy Michel, was a singles finalist, and again helped lead the ASU Sun Devils to a national title.
After graduation, Champagne competed on the Virginia Slims satellite circuit, worked as a teaching professional, and later became a top sales manager. She now coaches business executives as owner of The Champagne Group.
bottom of page