The USTA Southern Arizona (SAZ) Tennis Hall of Fame was established in 2013 to recognize membes, players and non-players in southern Arizona, whose achievements and contributions are worthy of the highest recognition.
The USTA SAZ Hall of Fame will consist of those who have made the most outstanding contributions to tennis in Southern Arizona. These women and men will be divided into two categories, player and non-player, although some may be outstanding in both categories and should receive priority consideration.
USTA Members are encouraged to fill out and send in this NOMINATION FORM on a potential Hall of Famers behalf. Applications MUST be received by October 13 to be considered for the current year's Hall of Fame class.
Hall of Fame Eligibility Requirements
- Candidate must be nominated by a member of USTA living in the SAZ district.
- Candidate must be 35 years of age or older (45 years of age for non-player category)
- Candidate must have lived in the SAZ district for no less than 10 years and have been active in tennis within the SAZ district for a period of 10 years.
- Candidate may be living or deceased.
To learn more about the Criteria for the USTA SAZ Hall of Fame candidacy, click HERE.
Please send Hall of Fame nominations to current USTA SAZ President.
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INDUCTEE FOR 2017
Casey Pfordt
Casey Pfordt was the No. 1 tennis player on the girls’ team at Canyon del Oro High School for all of her four seasons. She was a runner-up in state doubles play as a freshman and the Class AA state champion in singles play in her sophomore, junior and senior seasons. In 1977, she began playing tennis at the University of Arizona as a walk-on, turning down numerous offers from other colleges, but quickly became the No.1 player for the Wildcat varsity squad and earned a full scholarship. Pfordt traveled in Europe and played on the professional circuit. One of her key tournaments was at Beckingham, which is a qualifier for Wimbledon, and she completed three rounds there. Back in Tucson she served as co-captain of a 5.5 USTA Women’s League team in 1983 and helped that team win a national championship. Pfordt turned to coaching in 1983 at the Catalina Racquet Club as the assistant tennis professional and later served in the same role at Randolph Tennis Center. In 1985, she was promoted to the head teaching position for the City of Tucson. There she implemented “Casey’s Corps” which helps young female players become college players and receive scholarships.
INDUCTEE FOR 2016
Gary Engelbrecht
He is known to teach things that make players a better person off the court as well as on the court. Gary played high school tennis starting starting at the number 18 slot, working his way up to number 5. He played at the University of Wisconsin Green Bay and earned MVP and Captain of the year. He was eventually the head coach. He later became an instructor with the Bolliteer Tennis Camp and held the head pro position at Queen City Racquet Club in Ohio, later moving to Tucson, Arizona and has been the head pro at Tucson Racquet Club for the past 33 years, 6 years as the assistant women's coach at the University of Arizona and been involved in local tennis events. Gary has a true love for the game.
INDUCTEE FOR 2015
Britt Feldhausen
Britt loves tennis. He loves talking about tennis, he loves watching tennis, and he loves tennis competition. His greatest passion is teaching tennis, especially 10 and under. And he loves promoting the game. He is the co-founder and a board member for Tucson Community Tennis Program, which has taught tennis to thousands of youth in Tucson Schools over the last 25 years. He is an elite professional in the USPTA and has served in many leadership rolls for the organization. These include; district coordinator, section treasure, vice-president, president and now pro-emeritus. In 2014 he was selected as the Southwest Pro of the Year. Britt has been involved with the USTA for many years and was a major advocate for their school sites and the 10 and under programs. In 2002 he was honored by the United States Professional Tennis Association as the recipient of the inaugural Star Award.
INDUCTEES FOR 2014
Denise Ariew
Denise Ariew has spent over 25 years dedicating herself to USTA. She has served on mumtiople National Committees; Spent 10 years on teh Southwest Executive Commitee; was President of USTA SWS along with serving as Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary and Delegate. She was the SWS Delegate to National USTA and served on the Leaderhship Committee. She served as the Southwest Tennis Foundation President for 4 years. In SAZ she has been the Vice President and served as Treasurer for 6 years.
John Davis
John Davis has the great gift of being a peacemaker. He has a great love for tennis and is loved by tennis players. He is the the guy who will help you learn the game, even if you just missed 100 forehands. He is the one who will put you on his high school team when you don't have a racquet, don't know how to score and do not own a pair of shoes. He will captain your USTA team time and time again and go to every match with fight and fury and come out a champion win or lose.
INDUCTEES FOR 2013
Georgiann Carroll
Georgiann Carroll has been very active in the Southern Arizona tennis community for over 30 years. In 1969, she organized the first tennis league for juniors and went onto continue to grow Southern Arizona tennis by launching the USTA Schools Program and Advanced Junior Tennis Program. She served as President of the Southwestern Tennis Association, then as USTA section delegate, she then helped with the formation of the Southwest Tennis Foundation for which she would serve as President for three years. She has been a tremendous influence on the game of tennis for the Southwest Section.
Marguerite Chesney
Marguerite was a Southwest Tennis Association player for over 19 years. She won 6 Southwestern Open Annual Championships in Women’s Open Singles. She demonstrated great dedication to the game when she started the Racquet Club Tournament in 1946 making each Tucson school, public and private, eligible to send two boys and two girls under 15 years to participate. She was then elected vice president of the Southwest Tennis Association in 1939 and the first woman president in 1940.
Sam Fields
Fields packed a lot of punch into his two-decade run with tennis in the Southwest, and will forever be known as one of our foremost tennis officials. He picked up the game late in his 30’s, and began his USTA involvement in tennis in 1984 as an official in the Hawaii Section, where he had lived before retiring to Tucson in 1989. Prior to his retirement, Fields had served a distinguished, 30-plus year career in the United States Air Force. Locally in Tucson, he was a two-term president of the Southern Arizona (SAZ) District, a consultant to the SAZ Nominating Committee, and was the chair of the SAZ Officials’ Committee
Jim Grabb
Jim Grabb is a former Top 25 world-ranked ATP touring professional, and former French Open and US Open doubles champion who hails from Tucson and is one of the SW Section’s most accomplished players. Grabb, who grew up playing the USTA Southwest junior circuit before going on to college success at Stanford, won two professional singles titles and 23 doubles titles while on Tour, and posted wins over former world No. 1’s Andre Agassi, Ivan Lendl, Stefan Edberg and Mats Wilander during his playing career. A former Davis Cup player for the United States, and a two-time doubles Grand Slam champion (1989 French Open with Patrick McEnroe; 1992 US Open with Richey Reneberg). He was twice an NCAA All-American in doubles and three times in singles, and helped lead Stanford to an NCAA team championship in 1986 before turning pro.
Anne Lane
Anne Lane is most well known for her extensive work with USTA League Tennis on a national level, helping to define and develop the computer methodology that is the current basis of the USTA League National Tennis Rating Program (NTRP). Lane has been a USTA staff member, serving as the USTA Northern California Section League Coordinator from 1990-1996, before relocating to Tucson, Ariz., where she immediately joined up with the local USTA Southern Arizona district as a volunteer. She has served in several key league roles for both the local Southern Arizona district and the USTA Southwest Section, serving on the Southern Arizona Board of Directors since 2003, as a Nominating Committee Member and on the Southern Arizona Adult/Senior Competition Committee. She has also been a past chair of the USTA Southwest League Committee and the Grievance Committee.
Bill Lenoir
Bill Lenoir had a distinguished junior career, twice an Arizona state high school champion for Tucson High (1959-60), and reached the top ranking in the country as an 18 year old high school senior. He also captured the Boys 18s National Hard Court Championships in Kalamazoo, Michigan, as well as a victory at the prestigious international junior event, the Orange Bowl in 1960. He was known for his tenacity on the court as well as being one of the first-ever players to hit two-handed off both forehand and backhand wings. Lenoir decided to play tennis for his hometown squad, the University of Arizona, and had arguably the greatest college tennis career ever for a Wildcat (1962-64). A former first-team All-American (three times), Lenoir reached the singles quarterfinals in the NCAA in 1961 and 63 and the semifinals in 1962. His University of Arizona squads finished third and fourth in the nation, the best-ever rankings in school history. After graduating from U of A, Lenoir played in the singles main draw at Wimbledon twice (1964 and 1965) as well as the French and US Opens. Bill served as an official for the Fiesta Bowl Junior Tennis Tournament (which has since become the USTA Winter Nationals.) He was also actively involved with the USPTA for more than 25 year and developed many high school champions, and nationally-ranked and collegiate players as an instructor. He is also a member of the University of Arizona Wildcat Hall of Fame and the Intercollegiate Tennis Hall of Fame.
Jim Reffkin
For 20 years, Jim was the coach of the Salpointe High School Tennis teams in Tucson, Arizona as well as the head coach of the Pima Community College Women’s Team, winning two national NJCAA titles and numerous regional championships. He was the Athletic Director at Salpointe in the late 1960's. He instituted the first National Junior Tennis League (NJTL) Chapter in the Southwest Section. Jim served for two years as President of the USTA Southwest Section. He has served on numerous Sections and USTA national committees over the years. Jim became the first USPTA Master Professional in the Southwest, and was named the1996 USPTA National Professional of the Year. The International Tennis Hall of Fame awarded Jim the National "Education Merit Award". The USTA awarded him the "National Community Service Award". The awards, the offices, the different roles that Jim has played throughout his long and distinguished career in tennis are all due to his intense passion and love of the game of tennis.
George Yuhas
George started hitting tennis balls while he was in the navy in 1953. This was the beginning of a lifetime of playing tennis, coaching, officiating, and developing a love of the game. George was the #1 player on his college team and while a student at the U of A he started a Saturday program for juniors. He was a tennis coach at Casa Grande High School and Saguaro High School in Tucson. George was very active in SAZ holding many offices more than once, working on committees and running tournaments. In 1985 he received the High School Triple AAA Conference Award for leadership in the promotion of better high school athletics. George was chairman of officials in Southern Arizona and received a Life Umpire Award in appreciation of outstanding support of the USTA officiating program. George competed in many tennis tournaments usually holding a ranking in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles. George has helped juniors and others financially or by giving free lessons and rackets to promote his love of tennis. He knows every tennis rule there is and is always willing to share his knowledge and passion.