30-Year Rewind: Jill Craybas Reflects on 1996 NCAA Singles Championship Title

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It was hot, and Jill Craybas was exhausted. Thirty years ago, in the 1996 NCAA Women’s Singles final against top-seeded Kylie Hunt (Kansas), Craybas was pushed to the brink as the two split sets under the relentless Tallahassee sun. Craybas, the tournament’s No. 4 seed representing her Florida Gators, dropped the opening set, 7-5, and rallied in the second, 6-3, to force a winner-take-all third set in the title match. Craybas caught her breath at the changeover, and Florida head coach Andy Brandi sensed her fatigue. “I just remember Andy walking on the court,” Craybas recently told the ITA. “We split sets and he was like, ‘You’ve got this. She is so tired.’ And I just looked at him and I was like, ‘Andy, I’m so tired. I’m so tired.’ But, he just gave that little boost.” It was enough of a boost to get by. Craybas prevailed in the third set, 6-3, to put the finishing touches on the singles title. She was, at last, the best women’s tennis player in the country. The clinching point still lives in her mind. “I had come in, and she hit this massive lob and I was like, ‘OK, I just have to make this overhead.’ I just let it bounce and then that was it. I kind of just fell back exhausted.” It capped a remarkable showing for the Gators while at Florida State, the host of the 1996 NCAA Championships, who had swept the team, singles and doubles championship titles. She became the third Gator in program history to win the singles crown, joining Shaun Stafford (1988) and Lisa Raymond (1992, 1993). She remains the last Florida women’s tennis player to do so. “It was a great moment,” Craybas said through a smile. “Details that I will never forget.” Jill Craybas’ 1996 NCAA Singles ChampionshipFirst Round — Craybas def. Patty Murren (Wake Forest), 6-0, 6-0Second Round — Craybas def. Gulberk Gultekin (UAB), 6-2, 6-3Round of 16 — Craybas def. Jennifer Hall (Notre Dame), 6-1, 6-1Quarterfinals — Craybas def. Vanessa Webb (Duke), 6-4, 7-6(3)Semifinals — Craybas def. Ania Bleszynski (Stanford), 6-2, 6-3Finals — Craybas def. Kylie Hunt (Kansas), 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 Craybas is one of five members of the ITA Women’s Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame Class of 2026 that will be inducted on Oct. 10, 2026 in Williamsburg, Virginia. RSVP Today!

ITA Women’s Hall of Fame Spotlight: Barbara and Kathy Jordan

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TEMPE, Ariz. – For much of the 1980s, a pair of former Stanford Cardinal found themselves at the center of the professional tennis world. Barbara and Kathy Jordan, who starred at Stanford in the late 1970s while competing in the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW), parlayed their college dominance into terrific professional careers. From 1980-86, Kathy racked up seven Grand Slam titles, three of which came at Wimbledon, while Barbara won the French Open singles title in 1979 and the mixed doubles title in 1983. The story of the trailblazing Jordan Sisters is intertwined with the rich history of the Wimbledon Championships, held annually at The All England Lawn Tennis Club in London, England. Kathy was victorious on three occasions at Wimbledon, winning a pair of doubles titles with partners Anne Smith (1980) and Elizabeth Smylie (1985) plus a mixed doubles crown with Ken Flach (1986). Jordan and Smith were a consistent force in London, as the two made three additional appearances in the women’s doubles finals from 1981-84. More on the ITA Women’s Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame Kathy, who collected victories over players like Chris Evert, Pam Shriver, Tracy Austin and other elite talents, peaked as high as No. 5 in the WTA World Rankings in 1984. After upsetting the second-seeded Evert in the third round of the 1983 Wimbledon tournament, Kathy told The New York Times, “I knew I was playing well, and I felt determined. I felt even if I was going to lose, I would do well … I mostly came to the realization that if I could control my emotions and temperament, I could beat anybody.” Barbara played in the women’s singles draw in five Wimbledon tournaments, reaching the Round of 32 twice (1980 and 1983). In 1979, she became the only American woman during the 1970s to win the Australian Open singles title, defeating Sharon Walsh in straight sets in the title match (6-3, 6-3). The Jordan sisters were stalwarts in the collegiate game in the late 1970s. In addition to Stanford winning the team national championship title in 1978, the Jordans were also the AIAW national doubles champions that spring. The Cardinal bested the USC Trojans in the team final, 5-4, and the Jordans toppled two-time defending champions – and Stanford teammates – Susie Hagey and Diane Morrison for the doubles title. Kathy was also the 1979 AIAW singles and doubles champion. The pair was inducted into the ITA Women’s Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame in 2004 alongside Barbara Scofield Davidson and Belmar Gunderson. The Jordan sisters have continued to serve the game following their decorated playing careers. Barbara joined the WTA Board of Directors and was later honored with the WTA’s Player Service Award. Kathy was the Secretary and Vice President of the WTA Board of Directors, implementing the association’s first drug-testing policy and enacting the first retirement plan for women’s professional players. She also earned the WTA’s Player Service Award.

ITA Women’s Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame Class of 2026 Announced

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TEMPE, Ariz. – The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) is excited to announce the 2026 ITA Women’s Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame class, comprised of two coaches who shaped future generations of leaders and three former student-athletes who combined for four NCAA Singles Championship titles. The 2026 induction class consists of two-time NCAA Singles champion Laura Granville (Stanford), 1996 NCAA Women’s Singles champion Jill Craybas (Florida), 1999 NCAA Women’s Singles champion Zuzana Lesenarova (San Diego) and longtime Division I head coaches in Sheila McInerney (Arizona State) and Louise Gengler Thomas (Princeton) who combine for more than six decades of coaching experience. “This year’s ITA Women’s Hall of Fame class represents the very best of collegiate tennis,” David Mullins, CEO of the ITA, said. “From national champions to transformative coaches, each of these inductees has helped define excellence in our sport. We are honored to celebrate their achievements and recognize the lasting legacy they have built both on and off the court.”  Combined, the 2026 Women’s Hall of Fame class is responsible for more than 1,000 collegiate wins, numerous Player/Coach of the Year honors and many additional accolades on the WTA Tour. The induction ceremony will be held on Saturday, Oct. 10 at the College of William & Mary in the Sadler Center’s Chesapeake Room in Williamsburg, Virginia, beginning at 5 p.m. ET. A cocktail reception will be held on Friday, Oct. 9 at William & Mary’s McCormack-Nagelsen Tennis Center, the home of the ITA Women’s Collegiate Hall of Fame, which will feature the unveiling of the panels for the Class of 2026. Additional details will be shared at a later date. For more information regarding the newest inductees, continue reading below. Jill Craybas, Florida/Texas (player)The 1996 NCAA Women’s Singles champion, Jill Craybas closed her storied collegiate career on top of the college tennis world. In addition to winning the national singles title as a senior, the two-time All-American was also twice named the SEC Player of the Year and the ITA South Region Player of the Year. Craybas, who owned a career record of 124-18 across two seasons each at Texas and Florida, also recorded match-clinching victories that secured two NCAA Team Championship titles (1993, 1996), the former for the Longhorns and the latter for the Gators. She became the first woman in the history of the NCAA Tennis Championships to win the national championship with two different schools. After college, Craybas enjoyed a successful career on the professional tour. Ranking as high as No. 41 in the world, she tallied five titles and competed in 45 consecutive Grand Slam main draws from 2000-2011. Craybas became one of the most tenured players on the WTA tour, having turned pro in 1996. Louise Gengler Thomas, Princeton (coach)Louise Gengler Thomas, widely recognized as one of the most impactful figures in the collegiate game, spent 25 years as the head coach of the Princeton women’s program before her retirement in 2004. Under her guidance, the Tigers won seven Ivy League Championship titles and tallied more than 300 wins. The longest-tenured female coach in Princeton Athletics history, Gengler Thomas was twice named the ITA’s East Region Coach of the Year (1994, 2000). She also led the Tigers to six appearances in the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) and NCAA national team championships. Committed to bettering the game across all levels of the sport, Gengler Thomas served on the NCAA National Tournament Committee for six years and was a member of both the ITA Board of Directors and ITA Women’s Operating Committee for over 20 years. In 1989, she became the first woman honored with the ITA Meritorious Service Award. Considered a pioneer in the evolution of women’s athletics, Gengler Thomas was a three-sport athlete in the early days of women’s sports at Princeton. She first arrived at Princeton in 1972, just two years after women were first admitted. She played tennis, ice hockey and field hockey, winning the school’s 1975 C. Otto von Kienbusch Award as the top senior sportswoman on campus. Her sisters, Marjory and Nancy, also played at Princeton, continuing the family tradition of athletic careers at Princeton set by their father, uncle and grandfather. The Gengler sisters remain among the greatest women athletes in Princeton history. Away from tennis, Gengler Thomas, an avid baseball fan, started her Take Kids Out to the Ball Game foundation, aimed at bringing underprivileged children to baseball games while weaving in academic experiences. Laura Granville, Stanford (player)Laura Granville played just two seasons in college at Stanford (1999-2001), but both ended with NCAA Singles Championship titles. During a pair of seasons as a Cardinal, Granville won an NCAA-record 58 consecutive singles matches, and paired her individual singles crowns with one NCAA team title and two ITA Indoor singles titles. A two-time ITA Player of the Year award winner, Granville went 93-3 in college. Following her sophomore season, Granville turned to the professional tour, where she achieved a career-best ranking of No. 28 in singles and No. 47 in doubles in addition to nine ITF titles. Recording wins over Grand Slam champions like Marion Bartoli, Martina Hingis, Mary Pierce and Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, Granville reached the round of 16 at Wimbledon on two occasions, and also advanced to the third round at the US Open, French Open and Australian Open. After nine years as a professional, Granville returned to Stanford to finish her degree in history in June 2012. Zuzana Lesenarova, San Diego (player)One of the most impactful student-athletes in all of collegiate tennis during her time at the University of San Diego (1996-2000), Zuzana Lesenarova was a four-time ITA All-American and the school’s only NCAA Division I national champion. As a junior, Lesenarova won the 1999 NCAA Division I national singles championship by defeating Stanford’s Marissa Irvin in the final, ending a dazzling junior campaign as the No. 1 ranked player in the nation. In addition to winning three of the four Collegiate Grand Slam events in 1999, Lesenarova was named the 1999 ITA National Player of …

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Lisa Raymond-McCartney Kessler

Gator Made: From Raymond to Kessler, A Look At Two Florida Alums and the US Open

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TEMPE, Ariz. – It’s been a decade since Lisa Raymond last suited up at the US Open, a tournament the ITA Women’s Hall of Famer and former Florida Gator routinely made a living at throughout her career. At the final Grand Slam event of the season, Raymond garnered a trio of titles over the course of her storied career at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows. Raymond won a pair of mixed doubles championships at the US Open with Patrick Galbraith (1996) and Mike Bryan (2002) before becoming the oldest woman at age 38 to win a Grand Slam Women’s doubles title alongside Liezel Huber in 2011. Raymond and Huber, seeded at No. 4 in the 2011 US Open, dethroned the reigning champions in Vania King and Yaroslava Shvedova (4-6, 7-6, 7-6). Before she was the No. 1 doubles player in the world, a title first earned in 2000, Raymond steered the Gators to their first NCAA team title in 1992 under head coach Andy Brandi at Florida. She also won the singles championships in both 1992 and 1993 to close out her collegiate career. Raymond, who won all four doubles grand slams over the course of her career, was inducted into the ITA Women’s Hall of Fame in 2012. Lisa Raymond’s ITA Hall of Fame bio Decades later, Florida alum McCartney Kessler is aiming to make a splash of her own in New York and replicate the success of her fellow Gator in Raymond. A star for the Gators from 2018-22, Kessler has since emerged as one of the top singles players in the world, soaring to a career-best No. 30 in the rankings this season. Kessler is in the midst of a transformative 2025 season in which she’s won a pair of singles titles and one doubles crown, teaming up with Coco Gauff to win the Women’s Doubles title at the National Bank Open in Toronto in early August. Prior to a professional career, Kessler cemented herself as one of the top collegians in the country throughout an impressive four-year stretch in Gainesville. Named the SEC Player of the Year in 2022, Kessler finished her Gator career with 106 singles wins, three selections to the All-SEC First-Team and three ITA All-American honors. The 26-year-old Kessler, one of many former star collegians in this year’s tournament, will open her third trip to the US Open with a first-round matchup against Magda Linette on Sunday, August 24. Former collegians in the main draw at the US Open Men – Ben Shelton (Florida), Francisco Cerundolo (South Carolina), Brandon Nakashima (Virginia), Nuno Borges (Mississippi State), Gabriel Diallo (Kentucky), Cameron Norrie (TCU), Marcos Giron (UCLA), Jacob Fearnley (TCU), Arthur Rinderknech (Texas A&M), Learner Tien (USC), Aleksandar Kovacevic (Illinois), Rinky Hijikata (North Carolina), Ethan Quinn (Georgia), Mackenzie McDonald (UCLA), Aleksandar Vukic (Illinois), Adam Walton (Tennessee), Brandon Holt (USC), Eliot Spizzirri (Texas), Nishesh Basavareddy (Stanford), Tristan Boyer (Stanford), Stefan Dostanic (USC, Wake Forest) Women – Emma Navarro (Virginia), Diana Shnaider (NC State), McCartney Kessler (Florida), Peyton Stearns (Texas), Danielle Collins (Florida, Virginia), Yuliia Starodubtseva (Old Dominion), Lulu Sun (Texas), Mayar Sherif (Fresno State, Pepperdine), Leolia Jeanjean (Arkansas, Baylor, Lynn), Valerie Glozman (Stanford) About the US Open The 2025 US Open will be held from August 24-September 7 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York. Play begins daily at 11 a.m. ET, with evening sessions scheduled to start at 7 p.m. ET in Arthur Ashe Stadium. For schedules, results, draws and more, visit USOpen.org.

‘I did have great players. My hope was that I didn’t screw them up’: Hall of Fame Q&A With Frank Brennan Jr.

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TEMPE, Ariz. — Frank Brennan Jr. is asked it every spring. “During every NCAA Championships, people ask me, ‘What do you miss most since you’ve retired?’” It’s nearly impossible to settle on just one thing. A 21-year tenure as the Stanford Women’s head coach, in which he won 10 team championships and sported a remarkable 510-50 record, is replete with memories, relationships and accolades he could easily point to. Brennan, inducted into the ITA Women’s Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame in 2006, delves into all that and more in our Q&A with him in which he discusses his wide-ranging impact on college tennis and his love for the Cardinal. What initially led you to Stanford?It’s sort of a crazy story. I grew up in New Jersey and I always tell this story. The first book I ever read was the Bob Mathias story, who was an Olympic decathlete, two-time Olympic champion from Stanford. I read that book and thought, This guy is the greatest athlete in the world. Stanford, I was just sort of fascinated with it. There was also a tennis player by the name of Jon Douglas who was also a football player. He was a guy I looked up to. He was older than I was, and I looked up to him because he played football and tennis and I played other sports besides tennis. I thought, That’s cool. He’s like me, not playing just tennis. I played football in high school and a little bit of basketball. I just sort of followed Stanford after that. The main reason I got to Stanford was because of Lele Forood, who was my protege since she was 10 years old. She was making a decision between Florida and Stanford. I said, ‘You’ve got to go to Stanford. It’s the greatest school out in northern California.’ I had never visited up to that point, but I was heavily in the Stanford camp at that point. She did go to Stanford and become a star and that sort of further enraptured me with Stanford. One day, I was in New Jersey at my tennis camp and Lele came in off the pro tour, and she said, ‘You know the job at Stanford just opened up.’ I said, ‘Really?’ I move at glacial speed, but my wife moves a lot faster. She said, ‘You’ve always wanted to be a college coach and this is a school you love. Why don’t you apply?’ She got me off my butt, I sent off my tennis camp brochure and sent it to Stanford. They called me out for a visit. Dick Gould, the longtime successful men’s coach, was an acquaintance of mine. He’d come to Florida where I was living at the time and was recruiting one of my male players to come out to Stanford to play on the John McEnroe team. He was in my corner, I felt, so that was a pretty good deal. When you were offered the job, how long did it take for you to accept it? Was it an immediate yes?I was smart enough to clear it with my wife. At the end of the interview, there were two or three other people being interviewed. I didn’t know I got the job until I got back to Jersey. Camp was over for us and we were out on the Jersey Shore and I got the telephone call from Stanford that I got the job. I had already discussed it with my wife that if they gave me the job, I’d take it. She was actually more for it than I was and I was 110 percent for it. It was a pretty easy decision. How did your experience running these youth camps in New Jersey translate to coaching in college?Not much at all really. I was a teaching pro for private clubs for a long time. I was fortunate enough to have six, or so, national junior champions. I was already coaching at that high level and had girls who went off and were playing pro tennis. What I didn’t have was that experience of running a team and running a team practice. The Xs and the Os were in my DNA, but when I got to Stanford, I showed up the first day with a tennis racket in my hand and talked to the girls and didn’t know what I was doing. Of course, one girl yells, ‘Coach, can you look at my serve?’ Another girl yells, ‘Coach, can you look at my backhand?’ ‘Coach, I can’t get my forehand in.’ I quickly put down my racket and picked up a clipboard and started to run practice that way. I pretty much only got to hit a couple times a year when we were doing one-on-ones. That was the big difference for me, just learning how to deal with 10, 12 people at a time over when I did private lessons with one at a time. How long until you felt comfortable being a college coach running a program?It didn’t take very long. I was used to dealing with young girls at a very high level. I had been in tennis my whole life. My father was a coach. It came pretty naturally to me. I had a very good mentor at Stanford in [men’s coach] Dick Gould. We shared an office, so if I had any questions, I could just turn around and ask Dick, ‘What do you do on Thursdays? What’s a good drill for doubles? What do you do when 10 girls show up and all want to work on something different?’ He was a great mentor for me in the beginning and saved me a lot of learning time. You were 510-50 in your career. What went into the preparation for matches?We worked hard all the time. What I would do about a day before the matches, I’d get the girls together a day before at practice and say, ‘This is dealer’s choice. Whoever wants …

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Hall of Fame 2024 Year in Review

by Griffin FabitsAnnouncement, Hall of Fame Feature, Induction CeremonyPosted on No Comments

Between advancements, induction ceremonies, and exciting announcements, the 2024 calendar year has been filled with memorable moments for both the ITA Men’s and Women’s Collegiate Tennis Halls of Fame. For more information on these efforts, continue reading below. ITA Women’s Hall of Fame Class of 2024 Induction Ceremony The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) welcomed the Women’s Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame Class of 2024 this past October in Williamsburg, Virginia. The class celebrated Louise Allen and Shelley Keeler Whelan for their contributions as players, and Jan Brogan and John Peterson for their contributions as coaches.  Relive the historic weekend on the ITA YouTube Channel and at the ITA SmugMug gallery.  To learn more about the Women’s Hall of Fame Class of 2024, read through their bios here.  Announcement of ITA Men’s Hall of Fame Class of 2025  Last week, the ITA announced the 2025 ITA Men’s Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame induction class. This class will feature Division III inductees, including coaches Bob Hansen and Michael Mullan, and players Eric Butorac and Bud Schultz.  The Men’s Hall of Fame Class of 2025 induction ceremony will be hosted at Gustavus Adolphus College preceding the ITA Division III Men’s National Team Indoor Championships on February 20, 2025. Please contact Rachel Dagen, ITA Director of Special Projects, rdagen@itatennis.com, if you are interested in attending the 2025 induction in St. Peter, Minnesota on Thursday, February 20th.  To read more about the newest Men’s Hall of Fame induction class, check out their bios here.  ITA Men’s Hall of Fame Website  The ITA released the ITA Men’s Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame website earlier this year. The website features over 280 players, coaches, and contributors, as well as archived photos, videos, memorabilia, and more. To visit the website, you can do so here.  The ITA Men’s Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame is located at the Dan Magill Tennis Center in Athens, Georgia. The museum is open to the public and free with admission. Hours of operation are dependent upon request. Please contact ITA Hall of Fame Manager, Jenna Kane, jkane@itatennis.com, or Men’s Hall of Fame Curator, John Frierson, johnf@sports.uga.edu, for more information.  Revamping ITA Women’s Hall of Fame Website  Along with the new Men’s Hall of Fame website, the ITA Women’s Hall of Fame website will also be undergoing updates. More information regarding these updates and advancements will be available Spring of 2025.  History of College Tennis Video Documentary   During the 2024 calendar year, the ITA has been working on a comprehensive video documentary that showcases the history of college tennis. The documentary, set to be released early 2025, features tennis champions and renowned coaches such as Stan Smith (USC), Billie Jean King (Cal State), Patrick McEnroe (Stanford), Katrina Adams (Northwestern), Dick Gould (Stanford), Bobby Bayliss (Notre Dame) and more. For the most up to date information regarding the documentary, follow along on the ITA social channels Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube. About The ITA: The ITA is the governing body of college tennis and a coaches association, both an advocate and an authority for the sport and its members. The ITA is committed to serving college tennis and returning the leaders of tomorrow while promoting both the athletic and academic achievements of the collegiate tennis community. The ITA, founded in 1956, is comprised of more than 2,000 men’s and women’s varsity tennis teams representing more than 1,250 institutions, 3,000 college tennis coaches, 1,400 college tennis officials, while administering numerous regional and national championships, and the ITA College Tennis Rankings for 20,000 college varsity student-athletes across five levels of play. The ITA also bolsters an industry-leading awards program for players and coaches to honor excellence in academics, leadership, and sportsmanship. Keep up with all of the excitement around college tennis by visiting WeAreCollegeTennis.com and following the ITA on Facebook, Twitter (X), Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn.

ITA Announces 2024 Women’s Hall of Fame Induction Class 

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TEMPE, AZ – The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) is proud to announce the 2024 ITA Women’s Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame induction class. This class celebrates Louise Allen and Shelley Keeler Whelan for their contributions as players, and Jan Brogan and John Peterson for their contributions as coaches.  “College tennis has an unbelievable history, and the ITA Halls of Fame continue to preserve and celebrate this history,” said ITA CEO, Timothy Russell. “The biennial induction ceremonies in Williamsburg, Virginia, at The College of William and Mary, the home of the ITA Women’s Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame, are always a high point in the life of our sport and Association.” “The induction of these four outstanding individuals carries on the Hall of Fame’s tradition of recognizing the best of the best in our sport,” said ITA Women’s Hall of Fame Curator Tyler Thomson.  “We look forward to honoring them, celebrating their accomplishments with family and friends, and cementing their legacy for generations to come.”   The 2024 ITA Women’s Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame Induction will take place in Williamsburg, Virginia on the campus of The College of William & Mary. The ceremony will be held on Saturday, October 5th 2024. Those interested in attending may fill out the registration form below or contact Jenna Kane, ITA Hall of Fame Manager (jkane@itatennis.com). Registration Link Players Louise Allen, Trinity (1981-1984) – As a standout on the Trinity University women’s tennis team, Louise Allen was  a four-time All-American and the 1983 NCAA Division I Women’s Doubles champion as a junior at Trinity. That same year, Allen captured the 1983 Pan American Games Women’s Doubles title and was the recipient of the Broderick Award, now known as the Honda Sports Award. This award is given annually to the nation’s best collegiate women’s tennis player. By the time of graduation, Allen had compiled a singles record of 115-11 and had never lost a match at home in singles or doubles.   Following her time at Trinity, Allen took her talents to the professional tour, reaching a career high world ranking of No. 62 while competing in a combined 27 grand slam events. In 1992, Allen was nominated for the WTA Comeback Player of the Year following her battle back from several injuries. Allen is a member of the North Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame and Trinity Athletics Hall of Fame. Today, Allen is the Chief Product Officer of Planview, a software company based in Austin, Texas.  Shelley Keeler Whelan, Pomona College (1988-1992) – During her time at Pomona College, Whelan left an impressive stamp on the women’s tennis program. In 1990, 1991, and 1992, Whelan dominated the doubles scene, being crowned the NCAA Division III Doubles National Champion three straight years. During her final season, Whelan also captured the NCAA DIII singles title and led the Sagehens to the NCAA Division III team title. Whelan was awarded the Pomona-Pitzer Major Award in 1991, an honor earned by athletes who have contributed the most to his or her intercollegiate program. Whelan is also a recipient of the NCAA Division III Women’s Tennis Most Outstanding Student-Athlete Award and was inducted into the Pomona-Pitzer Hall of Fame in 2002.  For the past 16 years, Whelan has managed a multigenerational family office that invests in businesses and real estate in the Pacific Northwest. She has served as a board member of various organizations including the Girl Scouts of Western Washington, the Alliance of Angels, and the Northwest Entrepreneur Network.  Coaches Jan Brogan, UC Berkeley (1978-2007) – A legendary figure in the women’s tennis world, Jan Brogan left a legacy comparable to none. As the Cal Women’s Tennis coach from 1978 to 2007, Brogan compiled a 539-223 (.707) dual-match record, making her just the fourth Cal coach to reach the 500-win plateau while also making her the winningest coach in Cal tennis history upon her retirement. Under her direction, the Golden Bears made 26 consecutive appearances in the NCAA tournament and had 19 top-ten finishes since 1982.  Brogan’s dedication to excellence earned her the 1990 Wilson ITA National Coach of the Year award, ITA Northwest Region Coach of the Year honors in 1988, 1991, 1993, and 2007, and conference coach of the year eight times during her career 1982-87, 1992, and 1994. Brogan has been a member of the ITA Board of Directors, ITA Operating Committee, NCAA Championship Tennis Committee, and the Chair of the ITA Sport Science Committee.  In 1998, Brogan completed a M.A. in Sports Psychology from John F. Kennedy University. As a result of her dedication to lifelong learning and a desire to share her knowledge of sport psychology techniques, Brogan taught applied sports psychology and life skills classes for student-athletes at Cal.  John Peterson, Tyler Junior College (1987-2011) – During his 24-year tenure as the head men’s and women’s coach at Tyler Junior College, Peterson won a combined 25 national championships (12 men’s, 13 women’s) and amassed a total career record of 828-189 (.814). Peterson served as the Tyler Junior College Athletic Director from 1995-2000 and also served on the ITA Board as a Junior College representative. Peterson is a member of the NJCAA Men’s Tennis Hall of Fame, the NJCAA Women’s Tennis Hall of Fame, and is a 2007 inductee of the Texas Tennis Coaches Hall of Fame. In 2000, the ITA named Coach Peterson the Junior College National Coach of the Decade, the only coach named Coach of the Decade in both the men’s and women’s division.  Prior to coaching the men’s and women’s tennis programs at Tyler, Peterson taught physical education and coached football, track, and eventually tennis at the middle and high school levels. Peterson attributes his success to his wife, kids and grandchildren.     About the ITA Women’s Collegiate Hall of Fame – The ITA Women’s Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame, founded in 1995, was created to celebrate the milestones in women’s collegiate tennis, from the early struggles for recognition to the achievement of full-fledged intercollegiate competition. The Women’s Hall of Fame is operated by The College of William & …

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