Missouri Valley

Jenny Dent, Susan True announced as 2024 USTA Missouri Valley HOF inductees

Josh Sellmeyer | September 04, 2024

Jennifer (Hopkins) Dent and Susan True comprise the 2024 class slated for enshrinement into the United States Tennis Association Missouri Valley Hall of Fame later this year. Dent and True will be inducted into the USTA Missouri Valley Hall of Fame on Dec. 7 at Sheraton Overland Park Hotel in Kansas as part of the USTA Missouri Valley’s Annual Conference occurring Dec. 5-7.

The USTA Missouri Valley Hall of Fame was established in 1986 and represents the section’s highest honor bestowed upon individuals who have gone above and beyond for the sport of tennis. Dent and True become the 146th and 147th members of the USTA Missouri Valley Hall of Fame.

Jenny Dent

Jennifer (Hopkins) Dent had an illustrious junior, high school and professional tennis career as one of the greatest competitors to come out of the USTA Missouri Valley. Dent began playing tennis at the age of 6 under the guidance of Ann Edmonds and Jeff Henderson at Hallbrook Country Club in Leawood, Kan. Mike Wolf later coached Dent for a six-year stretch in Lawrence, Kan.

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Dent won the USTA Girls’ 18s National Clay Court Championship in 1998 a year after claiming the USTA Girls’ 18s National Indoor Doubles title with her partner, Julia Scaringe. She finished runner-up in singles at the 1997 USTA Girls’ 18s National Indoor Championship and was a quarterfinalist at the US Open Junior Championships the following year. In all, Dent captured nine USTA National Bronze Balls in singles during her sterling junior career.

Dent snagged the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) Class 1A-3A singles title in both 1995 and ’96 as a student-athlete at The Barstow School.

Dent went professional in 1999 and claimed six ITF singles championships as well as five ITF doubles titles during her seven-year career on the WTA Tour. Dent reached a career-high ranking of No. 52 in the WTA in 2001.

Additionally, Dent had a standout career as a World TeamTennis competitor. She was named the 2000 WTT Rookie of the Year while playing for the Kansas City Explorers.

Dent is the CEO of The Birch Racquet & Lawn Club in Keller, Texas that she founded along with husband Taylor Dent and Phil Dent.

"I’m so thankful that I played tennis," Dent said. "And that I didn’t do swimming; I didn’t do gymnastics. I didn’t do these other sports that give you one opportunity to get it perfect. I played a sport that allowed you to not be perfect, which I feel is more like life."

Susan True

Susan True has made an impact on the tennis community as well as women’s sports at large for several decades. She held a litany of titles during her remarkable 21-year career as a volunteer within the USTA.

Her USTA Missouri Valley roles included two terms each as vice president (1999-2002; 2013-14) and secretary (2009-2012; 2015-16). True also served as treasurer in 2005-06. During her volunteer career she chaired the USTA Missouri Valley Awards Committee, Community Development Committee and the Bylaws Task Force. She served on the board of the USTA Missouri Valley Foundation from 2000-06.

True served on several national USTA committees as well. She was on the USTA Schools Committee and USTA Evaluations Committee, where she served as vice chair. She was also a member of the USTA Youth Community Tennis Programs Committee. True was part of the Collegiate-Interscholastic Team Tennis project team.

She was heavily involved locally within the USTA Heart of America scene as well. She chaired the USTA Heart of America Awards Committee twice in addition to being a member of that committee from 2009-2012. She was the district’s volunteer coordinator. She was inducted into the USTA Heart of America Hall of Fame in 2020.

As a Title IX pioneer, True and two others founded the Women’s Intersport Network for Kansas City (WIN for KC)—a part of the Kansas City Sports Commission—in 1994. True held the WIN for KC positions of president, president-elect and secretary.

Beyond tennis True was passionately involved in the sport of volleyball. For her service, she was inducted into the National High School Hall of Fame (2003) and the Kansas State High School Activities Association Hall of Fame (2017).

Athletes in the Kansas City area have True to thank in part for the opportunities they have today.

"I was just flabbergasted. And pretty soon I thought, 'It’s a good thing I’m sitting here in my bedroom.' Because the tears were rolling down my face," True said of her USTA Missouri Valley Hall of Fame induction. "One of the biggest surprises and happiest ones I’ve had."

Please join us to celebrate our two new inductees and all award winners at the Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Ceremony on Saturday, Dec. 7. Registration will open on Oct. 1.

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