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2014 Hall of Fame Inductions
People Who Changed The Game
In 2014, we inducted 4 incredible women and 2 impactful gentlemen 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
Bob Meyers
Bob Meyers was first introduced to tennis at age five by chasing balls for his father, a tournament player in Illinois, and trying to hit them back using his mother’s racquet. Although he played several sports through school, it wasn’t until he was at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville that he played intramural tennis for his fraternity, Tau Kappa Epsilon. Meyers earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education in 1971 and a master’s in counselor education in 1972. He served as the Assistant Athletic Director and Intramural Department Head at SIUE during the early 1970s.
Meyers inaugurated the SIUE women’s tennis program in 1981 and was named ITA Division II National Coach of the Year in 1983. The Cougars won four consecutive NCAA Division II Championships from 1986 to 1989, and in 1986 Meyers also became head coach of the men’s team. He earned the men’s ITA National Coach of the Year honor in 1988, making him the only coach in NCAA Division II tennis history to win Coach of the Year honors in both men’s and women’s tennis. Under his leadership, SIUE’s tennis program developed into one of the best in the nation.
Following the 1989 NCAA Division II Women’s Team Championship title, he resigned from the university to pursue other interests. Almost 20 years later, Meyers became assistant coach for the Edwardsville High School boys’ and girls’ tennis teams and was honored with Assistant Coach of the Year in 2013.
Meyers inaugurated the SIUE women’s tennis program in 1981 and was named ITA Division II National Coach of the Year in 1983. The Cougars won four consecutive NCAA Division II Championships from 1986 to 1989, and in 1986 Meyers also became head coach of the men’s team. He earned the men’s ITA National Coach of the Year honor in 1988, making him the only coach in NCAA Division II tennis history to win Coach of the Year honors in both men’s and women’s tennis. Under his leadership, SIUE’s tennis program developed into one of the best in the nation.
Following the 1989 NCAA Division II Women’s Team Championship title, he resigned from the university to pursue other interests. Almost 20 years later, Meyers became assistant coach for the Edwardsville High School boys’ and girls’ tennis teams and was honored with Assistant Coach of the Year in 2013.
Cecilia Martinez
Cecilia “Ceci” Martinez began playing tennis at age 9 and was one of the top players in Northern California throughout her junior years. She graduated from San Francisco’s Presentation High School and San Francisco State University where she was the USTA Intercollegiate Women’s Singles Champion in 1966.
In November 1970, Martinez was instrumental in helping to launch the first all-women’s professional tennis event — the “Virginia Slims Invitational Tour” at Westwood Club in Richmond, Virginia. Earlier at Forest Hills, women players considered boycotting Jack Kramer’s Pacific Southwest tournament due to the 12:1 differential in prize money between male and female players. Martinez produced a one-page questionnaire designed to uncover the true popularity of women’s tennis, and with her doubles partner, Esme Emanuel, collected surveys whose results sent a powerful message to the tennis establishment — fans liked watching women’s tennis, agreed there should be equity in prize money, and would pay to attend a women-only tournament.
During her competitive career spanning 20+ years, Martinez was ranked #1 in singles and doubles in Northern California, and nationally ranked #9 in juniors, #11 in women’s singles, #4 in women’s doubles, and in 1993, #11 in 35 doubles. She won tournaments in ten countries, and played in singles, doubles and mixed doubles at Wimbledon and Forest Hills between 1965 and 1976. Since retiring, Martinez has been a teaching pro and tennis director in the San Francisco Bay Area, a freelance travel writer and photographer, and a real estate broker.
In November 1970, Martinez was instrumental in helping to launch the first all-women’s professional tennis event — the “Virginia Slims Invitational Tour” at Westwood Club in Richmond, Virginia. Earlier at Forest Hills, women players considered boycotting Jack Kramer’s Pacific Southwest tournament due to the 12:1 differential in prize money between male and female players. Martinez produced a one-page questionnaire designed to uncover the true popularity of women’s tennis, and with her doubles partner, Esme Emanuel, collected surveys whose results sent a powerful message to the tennis establishment — fans liked watching women’s tennis, agreed there should be equity in prize money, and would pay to attend a women-only tournament.
During her competitive career spanning 20+ years, Martinez was ranked #1 in singles and doubles in Northern California, and nationally ranked #9 in juniors, #11 in women’s singles, #4 in women’s doubles, and in 1993, #11 in 35 doubles. She won tournaments in ten countries, and played in singles, doubles and mixed doubles at Wimbledon and Forest Hills between 1965 and 1976. Since retiring, Martinez has been a teaching pro and tennis director in the San Francisco Bay Area, a freelance travel writer and photographer, and a real estate broker.
Jeff Moore
Jeff Moore was an athlete — playing football, baseball and basketball — but not a tennis player until his senior year at Holland High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He attended Knox College, then transferred to the University of Redlands to play tennis under legendary coach Jim Verdieck. After graduating in 1974, Moore became the first head coach for UR Women’s Basketball and began coaching Women’s Tennis in 1975. Within a year, the tennis team rose from the basement to second place in the division. In 1976, he moved to the University of Colorado where he coached men’s and women’s tennis. In 1982, after his women’s team finished 2nd and the men’s team 3rd in the Big Eight Conference, Moore became Head Coach for Women’s Tennis at the University of Texas in Austin.
During his 23 years at UT, the Longhorn Women’s Tennis Teams won two NCAA Division I Championships, had ten top-five finishes nationally, won 18 conference championships and boasted a 100% graduation rate. Named ITA National Coach of the Year in 1993 and Conference Coach of the Year eleven times, Moore credits his father, Bert Moore, and his UR coach, Jim Verdieck, with influencing his coaching and leadership styles. He has also coached middle and high school boys basketball and worked seven years as a teacher and administrator in independent schools.
In his new career as CEO of Moore Leadership, he helps businesses and schools recruit and develop top performers. “I was extremely fortunate to have coached athletes who were driven by a purpose that transcended winning. I get chills thinking about how they pushed themselves and each other day after day!”
During his 23 years at UT, the Longhorn Women’s Tennis Teams won two NCAA Division I Championships, had ten top-five finishes nationally, won 18 conference championships and boasted a 100% graduation rate. Named ITA National Coach of the Year in 1993 and Conference Coach of the Year eleven times, Moore credits his father, Bert Moore, and his UR coach, Jim Verdieck, with influencing his coaching and leadership styles. He has also coached middle and high school boys basketball and worked seven years as a teacher and administrator in independent schools.
In his new career as CEO of Moore Leadership, he helps businesses and schools recruit and develop top performers. “I was extremely fortunate to have coached athletes who were driven by a purpose that transcended winning. I get chills thinking about how they pushed themselves and each other day after day!”
Kartrina Adams
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Katrina Adams joined a tennis program on Chicago’s West Side when she was six years old. She attended Whitney Young High School and became Illinois High School Association singles champion in 1983 and 1984. Adams attended Northwestern University on an athletic scholarship and was named an NCAA All-American while helping the Wildcats to Big Ten championships in both 1986 and 1987. In 1987, Adams became the first African American to win the NCAA Doubles Championship with partner Diane Donnelly.
From 1988 to 1999, Adams played on the Women’s Tennis Association tour where her best grand slam singles result was making it to the fourth round in the 1988 Wimbledon Championships, losing to Chris Evert. She was ranked #67 in singles in 1989 and was the singles runner-up at Wellington, New Zealand in 1988 and Brentwood, Tennessee in 1991. In 1989, she was presented the WTA Player Service Award. In 1989, Adams ranked #8 in the world in doubles, and during her 12-year professional career captured 20 doubles titles and was runner-up 16 times.
Off the courts, Adams has served as a coach, member and officer of the WTA and Executive Director of the Harlem Junior Tennis and Education Program in New York. She was inducted into the USTA Midwest Section Hall of Fame in 2005 and is currently (2014) the USTA 1st Vice President. Adams is a contributing writer for Tennis Magazine and serves as a television analyst and commentator.
From 1988 to 1999, Adams played on the Women’s Tennis Association tour where her best grand slam singles result was making it to the fourth round in the 1988 Wimbledon Championships, losing to Chris Evert. She was ranked #67 in singles in 1989 and was the singles runner-up at Wellington, New Zealand in 1988 and Brentwood, Tennessee in 1991. In 1989, she was presented the WTA Player Service Award. In 1989, Adams ranked #8 in the world in doubles, and during her 12-year professional career captured 20 doubles titles and was runner-up 16 times.
Off the courts, Adams has served as a coach, member and officer of the WTA and Executive Director of the Harlem Junior Tennis and Education Program in New York. She was inducted into the USTA Midwest Section Hall of Fame in 2005 and is currently (2014) the USTA 1st Vice President. Adams is a contributing writer for Tennis Magazine and serves as a television analyst and commentator.
Lindsay Morse Bennett
Stacy Margolin Potter
Born in Beverly Hills, California, Stacy Margolin (Potter) began playing tournaments when she was 10. She was ranked #6 in the 12's in Southern California and began competing nationally in the 14's, ranked #17. She was the #1 tennis singles player at Beverly Hills High School for four years, and collected many junior tennis titles before becoming the #1 singles player on the University of Southern California’s Women’s Varsity Team.
During her freshman and sophomore years, Potter was undefeated in singles dual home matches. In 1977, she was the US 21 and Under Champion, the US Amateur Hard Court Champion, a member of the Junior Wightman Cup team, and also won gold, silver and bronze medals at the Tenth Maccabiah Games in Israel. She won the Western Regional Championships and received All-American honors in 1978 and 1979. In 1978, she was the USTA National Collegiate Singles Champion. Potter turned pro after helping USC win the national team championship in 1979.
As a professional tennis player from 1979-1987, Potter competed in 25 Grand Slam championships, including eight at Wimbledon, eleven at the US Open and six at the French Open, and reached a singles ranking of #18 in the world. Coming off the tour, Potter earned her master’s degree in clinical psychology. She was inducted into the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Beverly Hills High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009. Now living in Ojai, CA, Potter is a certified health coach and works with her husband in their hiking, biking and climbing tour company, Trails by Potter.
During her freshman and sophomore years, Potter was undefeated in singles dual home matches. In 1977, she was the US 21 and Under Champion, the US Amateur Hard Court Champion, a member of the Junior Wightman Cup team, and also won gold, silver and bronze medals at the Tenth Maccabiah Games in Israel. She won the Western Regional Championships and received All-American honors in 1978 and 1979. In 1978, she was the USTA National Collegiate Singles Champion. Potter turned pro after helping USC win the national team championship in 1979.
As a professional tennis player from 1979-1987, Potter competed in 25 Grand Slam championships, including eight at Wimbledon, eleven at the US Open and six at the French Open, and reached a singles ranking of #18 in the world. Coming off the tour, Potter earned her master’s degree in clinical psychology. She was inducted into the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Beverly Hills High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009. Now living in Ojai, CA, Potter is a certified health coach and works with her husband in their hiking, biking and climbing tour company, Trails by Potter.
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