Courtney Allen
Principia College
|
2010
Courtney Allen started playing competitive tennis in the ninth grade and quickly rose to the top of the state high school ranks. With the help of local teaching pro Buddy Strawn, Allen and doubles partner, Jill Joslin, captured the Illinois State Doubles Championship for Bloomington High School in 1982. Attracting the attention of Division I schools, Allen chose instead to attend Principia College, a Division III school that had just won a small college national team title. With the addition of Allen, Principia would dominate Division III tennis from 1983 to 1987.
Under Coach Lyn Gerber DeLaney, Allen, a left-hander, adopted an aggressive serve-and volley game. As a freshman in 1984, she won the NCAA Division III singles and doubles titles, earning national Rookie of the Year honors. Altogether, she appeared in eight consecutive Division III finals, winning a total of six national titles and crowning her college career as Division III Senior Player of the Year.
After graduation, Allen earned a world ranking in singles and doubles. She currently owns and operates her own academy, encouraging juniors of all ages and ability levels to learn and love the game.
Career Highlights
- Illinois High School Association Doubles Champion (with Jill Joslin) 1982; first state champions from Bloomington High School, attained a 40–0 recordMember, U.S. Junior Wightman Cup team 1983Ranked No. 1 in Western Tennis Association 18-and-under doubles 1983NCAA Division III Singles Champion 1984NCAA Division III Doubles Champion (with Suzy Verheul) 1984NCAA Division III Rookie of the Year 1984Member, Collegiate Tennis All-Star Team 1984NCAA Division III Singles Champion 1985NCAA Division III Doubles Finalist (with Suzy Verheul) 1985NCAA Division III Singles Finalist 1986NCAA Division III Doubles Champion (with Sue Godfrey) 1986Member, Junior Federation Cup Team 1986NCAA Division III Singles Champion 1987NCAA Division III Doubles Champion (with Sue Godfrey) 1987Rolex Small College National Runner-Up 1987NCAA Division III Senior Player of the Year 1987B.A., English and History, Principia College 1987Played professional satellite circuit in the U.S., England and South America; world ranking in singles and doubles 1987–1991Assistant pro, WCT Peachtree World of Tennis (now Racquet Club of the South) Norcross, Georgia 1990–92Director of junior tennis academy at Atlanta Falcons training facility, Suwanee, Georgia 1992–2000ALTA and USTA tennis instructor, metro Atlanta 2000–07Director of tennis and owner, CAO Academy, Johns Creek, Georgia 2007–presentMember, USTA Southern Intersectional Team 2007, competed in Naples, FloridaMember, USTA Southern Intersectional Team 2008, competed and placed second in San Antonio, TexasAchieved USPTA P1 certificationInducted into Principia College Athletic Hall of Fame 2006
Hall of Fame Inductee Panel
