2025 USTA Midwest Hall of Fame

JOE GROVER

From there, Grover’s continued to grow. He served as president of the USTA Northeastern Michigan District multiple times during the 1980s, a role that also included serving as a district delegate to the USTA Midwest Section while coordinating both local and district USTA League play. He spent 14 years on the USTA Midwest Board of Directors, serving a term as president from 1998 to 1999. During this time, Grover also played a key role in supporting the development of “Safire,” the section’s computer-based juniors ranking system, which, for the first time, allowed monthly publication of standing lists and player records on the internet.

Additionally, Grover chaired both the Midwest Junior Ranking Committee and the Junior Competition Committee, and served on the Adult League, High Performance, Nominating and Information Technology Committees. A passionate advocate for youth and education, he was a "charter champion" and later president (2000–2001) of the Midwest Youth Tennis & Education Foundation (now the USTA/Midwest Tennis & Education Foundation).

At the national level, Grover has also had a significant impact. From 2005 to 2010, he served on the USTA Board of Directors, including a term as vice president from 2009 to 2010, and represented the USTA at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games. As a board liaison to the USTA sections, Grover played a pivotal role in fostering sectional collaboration across the nation. His national service includes extensive committee work, ranging from the ITF Tennis Rules Committee and Audit and Budget Committees to key roles on the Junior Competition, Strategic Planning and League Committees from the late 1980s through the 2010s.

Grover and his wife, Shima, have lived in Richmond, Va., since 2005, where they remain highly involved in the local tennis community and the USTA Mid-Atlantic Section. Both are members of the Richmond Tennis Association Hall of Fame and were honored as Tennis Industry magazine’s Tennis Advocates of the Year in 2014.

DENNY SCHACKTER

Beyond his committee and board service, Schackter's involvement in tennis spans a wide range of leadership and coaching roles. He was the University of Wisconsin men’s tennis coach from 1972 to 1981. From 1986 to 2008, he worked as a territory manager for Wilson Racquet Sports.

For more than 40 years, he has made it his mission to encourage high school coaches, college coaches and tennis professionals with positive feedback and constructive suggestions. His mentorship has helped boost confidence and elevate performance.

In addition to this, Schackter has made numerous contributions to the USPTA Midwest Connection newsletter, the USPTA magazine and Racquet Sports Industry magazine, sharing insights and inspiration with coaches and professionals nationwide.

His remarkable career has already earned him induction into both the USPTA/Racquet Sports Professionals Association (RSPA) Midwest Hall of Fame and the Wisconsin High School Tennis Coaches Hall of Fame. A court at XS Tennis Village bears his name—a lasting tribute to his influence in the Chicago tennis community.

A proud University of Wisconsin alumnus and lifelong Badger fan, Schackter currently resides in Waukesha, Wis., where he founded Tennis Priorities Company, a business that connects tennis professionals with career opportunities across the Midwest. He remains active on the court, teaching tennis at the Wisconsin Athletic Club. Schackter is also a member of the Waukesha Civic Broadway Chorus and a weekly volunteer at the Waukesha Food Pantry. He and his wife, Patti Lock, are proud parents of two cats, Sally and Dash.

KATHLEEN STROIA

Additionally, Stroia serves as chair of the Hologic WTA Women’s Health Taskforce. The taskforce is dedicated to providing education and awareness, improving access and resources, and elevating research standards and policy for WTA athletes and active women globally.

In addition to her role at the WTA, Stroia has coordinated health care coverage for women’s tennis at nine Olympic Games, with direct involvement as an athletic trainer and physical therapist during the 2012 London Olympics.

She also contributes her expertise to global organizations, including the STMS, USTA and ITF, where she serves on influential committees. Recognized for her significant contributions to sports science, Stroia is a founding member of PAADS and iPTA, driving forward the future of tennis performance and injury prevention.

Committed to philanthropy, Stroia has volunteered for Special Olympics events and supports various charitable initiatives, underscoring her dedication to community service. She has also served on Advisory Committees for the WTA Foundation and the WIN4LIFE Foundation.

Her achievements have garnered prestigious awards, including Tennis Industry Magazine’s “40 under 40,” the NATA “Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award,” and Purdue University’s “Distinguished Alumni Award.” Kathleen Stroia continues to lead and innovate in tennis medicine, making a lasting impact on athlete welfare worldwide.

The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held Friday, Jan. 30, 2026 at the Hyatt Indianapolis Downtown in Indianapolis, Ind.