Looking back at the best stories of 2023
Kearney Tennis Facility: The Ernest Grundy Tennis Center opened up last year in Kearney. The 62,500 square foot facility was a team effort between the City of Kearney, the Kearney Tennis Association and the University of Nebraska at Kearney. It was even recognized by Racquet Sports Industry as the “College Facility of the Year” in its Champions of Tennis edition. Supporters hope to add outdoor courts to the facility in the future.
Women’s History Month: Omaha’s Kathy Hawkins was recognized for her contribution to women’s sports in Nebraska. She is more than just an athlete, she’s an athlete who has been part of history as she was on the first women’s basketball and tennis teams to play at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln after Title IX was passed.
UNO Ball Kids: If you’ve been to a University of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks tennis match lately, you may have noticed something different: ball kids on the court. The Maverick Ballers was set up for kids to get exposure to tennis at an early age, and get an upfront glimpse of Division I tennis. 21 kids are taking part in the program this year, up from 14 last year.
Creighton tennis teams make history: It was a record-setting year for the Creighton Bluejay tennis teams. The women’s team made it all the way to the finals of the Big East tournament, the men’s team had its first-ever national ranking and to top it all off, coach Tom LIlly was named Big East Coach of the Year.
Waggoner inducted into Special Olympics Hall of Fame: Haley Waggoner of Lincoln was inducted into the Special Olympics Nebraska Hall of Fame for her work as an athlete and leader in the organization. Waggoner won a gold medal in the 2018 Special Olympic Games, and silver medals in 2022. She participates in USTA 3.0 and Mixed 6.0 leagues and played in numerous USTA tournaments over the years.
Nebraska native works at U.S. Open: As one of the top high school tennis players in Nebraska, Samantha Mannix never dropped a match during her four years at Elkhorn South High School. She then accepted a full ride to the University of Iowa, where she just wrapped up her collegiate career after playing five years for the Hawkeyes. She spent part of the summer working at the U.S. Open in Flushing Meadows. Find out what she’s doing next.
Lexington tennis sees a growth spurt: With a surge in popularity during the pandemic, the Lexington Racquet Complex broke ground in late spring of 2023 and is expected to be completed as early as spring of 2024. This happened with a mixture of community grants and private donations.
USTA Nebraska Awards: See who won awards during the past year for outstanding adult and junior players as well as facility of the year and more.
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