2021 Southern Tennis Awards

USTA Southern announced today the recipients of its 2021 awards, given for outstanding achievements in tennis both on and off the court. Twenty-one winners have been recognized this year.

Five municipalities had two winners: Atlanta; Cary, N.C.; Charlotte, N.C.; Florence, S.C. and Mt. Pleasant, S.C. North Carolina had eight recipients. Due to COVID-19 causing a reduction in tennis in schools and Tennis On Campus club teams, three related awards will not be presented this year.

Candidates were nominated by USTA staff and volunteers in the section’s nine states: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. The winners were then selected from among the nominees by volunteer members of the USTA Southern Awards Committee and other committees that have expertise in the award category.

Here is the complete archive of USTA Southern awards.

Recipients are scheduled to receive their awards at the USTA Southern Annual Meeting on Jan. 15, 2022, in Atlanta.

Here are our 2021 USTA Southern award winners:

Adult Tournament of the Year: OPRC Banana Open; Charlotte, N.C.    

Charles B. Morris, Jr. Service Award: Jim Warren; Jackson, Miss.
Community Tennis Association of the Year: Florence Tennis Association; Florence, S.C.

DeWitt Redgrave III Junior Achievement Awards: Emma Charney; Mt. Pleasant, S.C. / Nichols Heng; Madison, Ala.

Diversity & Inclusion Champion Award: The Louisville Area 10U Tennis Association; Louisville, Ky.

Educational Merit Award: Keisha Price; Raleigh, N.C.

Gerrie Rothwell Award: Jim Warren; Jackson, Miss.

Jacobs Bowl: Eddie Gonzalez; Atlanta
Jim Russell Junior Tournament of the Year: Georgia Junior Clay Court Open; Columbus, Ga.

Junior Team Tennis Coordinator of the Year: Tony Cherone; Memphis, Tenn.

Local League Coordinator of the Year: Dusty Braddock; Florence, S.C.

Mac MacDougal Tennis Official of the Year: Meg Farrelly; Isle of Palms, S.C.

Marc Kaplan Media Excellence Award: Second Serve Podcast; Wake Forest, N.C.

Marilyn Sherman Spirit Award: Avery Caruso; Concord, N.C.

Member Organization of the Year: Shreveport Association of Ladies Tennis; Shreveport, La.

Mickey McNulty Family of the Year: The Burke/Mulkey Family; Cary, N.C.

NJTL Chapter of the Year: South Atlanta CTA/NJTL; Atlanta

Ozaki-Hastings Junior Sportsmanship Award: Mai Nguyen; Atlanta

President's Award: Frances Callen, Johns Creek, Ga.; Cheri Grosvenor, Atlanta
Slew Hester Players of the Year: Cindy Babb; Mount Pleasant, S.C. / Chris Bussert; Big Canoe, Ga.

Southern Tennis Professional of the Year: Courtney Dugas; Lafayette, La.

Special Tennis Event of the Year: Atlantic Tire Championships; Cary, N.C.

Team Tennis Event of the Year: USTA League Tennis 18 & Over North Carolina State Championships; Lake Norman, N.C.

Wheelchair Excellence Award: Kelly Flouhouse; Charlotte, N.C.