Missouri Valley

Celebrating the USTA Missouri Valley connections at the 2026 US Open

The 2026 US Open, which takes place Aug. 23 to Sept. 13 in New York City, is a fantastic experience for those in attendance.

 

Once again, USTA Missouri Valley features several local connections in varying capacities who will be in attendance at the Grand Slam event. Here is our roundup of those local ties. This page will continue to be updated throughout the tournament, so check back to see more of the section's connections!

Awards

2026 USTA Outstanding Facilities Award Recipients

Each year the USTA recognizes facilities throughout the country to encourage increasingly high standards for construction and/or renovation. There are six categories of facility awards and specific criteria that must be met for a facility to be considered.

 

Here are our USTA Missouri Valley award recipients:

  • Public Courts: Small Tennis Centers (2 to 11 courts): Ernest Grundy Tennis Center (Kearney, Neb.)
  • Public Courts: Large Tennis Centers (12 or more courts): Kossover Tennis Center (Topeka, Kan.)
  • Educational Institutions: East St. Louis Senior High School (East St. Louis, Ill.)
  • Educational Institutions: Headington Family Tennis Center & Wadley Indoor Tennis Pavilion (Norman, Okla.)
  • Educational Institutions: Michael W. and Quirsis V. Riney Family Tennis Center (St. Louis, Mo.)
Champion of Equality

As with previous years, women across the USTA's 17 sections who are leaders and trailblazers in advancing inclusion and equality will be recognized. The selected nominee will be recognized during the Champions of Equality event at the 2026 US Open, which will include a cocktail reception and panel discussion featuring this year’s US Open Billie Jean King Champion of Equality Award honoree.

 

Kaitlin Roselius, Director of Community Outreach & Evaluation at Woods Tennis Center, Lincoln, Neb. is USTA Missouri Valley's Champion of Equality for 2026. Under Kaitlin’s guidance, WTC offers tennis and educational programming to at-promise youth across the city of Lincoln and surrounding areas. Kaitlin also oversees WTC’s adaptive tennis programs, “Tennis Without Limits” and “Tennis Buddies,” in partnership with Special Olympics Nebraska, serving youth and adults with intellectual disabilities.

SuperSport Winners

Each year, USTA Missouri Valley holds a SuperSport campaign through the Match Tennis App to promote good behavior from players during tournaments and matches.

 

The adult and junior player with the most nominations throughout the year receive the SuperSport grand prize of tickets for two to the following year's US Open.

 

Teddy Tang from Springfield, Mo., was the 2025 Junior SuperSport winner, and Brandi Goldapp from Omaha, Neb., was the 2025 Adult SuperSport winner. As a result, both individuals earned a prize package of 2026 US Open ground-pass tickets for two, $800 in airfare, a $500 hotel grant and a $30 gift card to the US Open shop.

 

Read about Tang and Goldapp's accomplishment here, and learn more about the USTA Missouri Valley SuperSport initivative here.

35 x 35 President’s Impact Award

This award recognizes and thanks individuals and organizations who contribute significantly to the growth of tennis nationally, sectionally or in their communities.

 

There are 19 recipients from the USTA Missouri Valley, with many of them in attendance during the US Open's Fan Week!

  • Emily Burke (Oklahoma)
  • Michele Conlon (Iowa City)
  • Anne Cusser (Mission Hills, Kan.)
  • Janet Glaser (Wichita, Kan.)
  • Katie Green (Raytown, Mo.)
  • Dwight Hooper (Oklahoma City)
  • Brenton Kuchera (Waterloo, Iowa)
  • Ethan Laycob (St. Louis)
  • Lisa Minihan (Edmond, Okla.)
  • Tony Mullican (Oklahoma City)
  • Vince Schmidt (Florissant, Mo.)
  • Travis Clubb (Springfield, Mo.)
  • Brent Fields (Wichita, Kan.)
  • Roger Follmer (Ballwin, Mo.)
  • Kevin Green (St. Louis)
  • Joe W. Lewis Jr. (East St. Louis, Ill.)
  • Cindy Rasche (Camanche, Iowa)
  • Christopher Smith (St. Louis)
  • Mallory Weber (Bellevue, Neb.)
National Sportsmanship Honor

Jack Hanson, representing both USTA Oklahoma and his university, Kansas Wesleyan University, will receive the ITA Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship Award on Saturday, August 29, at the US Open.

On-Court and Off-Court Support

Officials

This year, USTA Missouri Valley is represented by six officials who will work the US Open. The crew has a combined total of 74 years of service to the US Open.

 

  • Sheila Conway (6th US Open) | USTA Oklahoma
  • Nick Flentie (17th US Open) | USTA Kansas
  • Kim Kilgore (16th US Open) | USTA Missouri
  • Cheryl Lady (9th US Open) | USTA Heart of America
  • Diane Lawrence (20th US Open) | USTA Kansas
  • Cindy Ritchie (6th US Open) | USTA Oklahoma

 

Go behind the scenes with these officials to learn more about what it's like working the US Open by viewing this Q&A article.

Kids on Court

The City of Wichita (Riverside Tennis Center) was selected for a Net Generation on-court activity at the US Open. Twelve players, ages 8-13, along with two coaches (Brent Fields and Alex Lee) were in attendance.

 

They took the court 10 minutes prior to the opening match and participate in a demonstration using red balls, youth-size racquets and pop-up nets.

 

The event took place on Aug. 30, and one of the kids did a coin toss before the US Open match.

Coaches

Kevin Heim (Lincoln, Neb.) will be at the US Open coaching the United States wheelchair tennis players. Heim will coach all of the U.S. players competing in the men's, women's, quads and junior boys' and girls' divisions.

Players

Casey Ratzlaff (Wichita, Kan.) will compete in the wheelchair tennis portion of the US Open again this year.

 

In the Women's Singles Main Draw, USTA Missouri Valley will be represented by Madison Keys.

 

Jackson Withrow has received a Men's Doubles Wild Card and will be competing with Nate Lammons.

 

The draws for the men's and women's singles and doubles will be posted at a later date. Check back to see the additional USTA Missouri Valley players who will be competing this year. Best of luck to all of our players!

Racquet Stringer

Joe Heydt will once again return as an on-site racquet stringer, and he will string Wilson racquets for players. On average, he's strung about 7,000 racquets each time he's been a part of the stringing team at the US Open.

 

Heydt owns the Racquet Corner in Omaha and has been stringing racquets for more than 30 years.

On-Court Support

The USTA Missouri Valley's Laura Puryear and Marissa Moment Brown will help out with Arthur Ashe Kids' Day on Aug. 23. This is the largest grassroots tennis event and a premier celebration of 1968 US Open champion Arthur Ashe's enduring legacy. During this year's Kids' Day, members of the Savannah Bananas will also take over Arthur Ashe Stadium for the action-packed Stadium Show.

 

Rebecca Falkner Axelrod will also work the US Open this year, providing vital support for adapted tennis operations.

Staff and Volunteers Attending Meetings

USTA Leadership Meetings

USTA Missouri Valley CEO & Executive Director Mary Buschmann will be in attendance at the leadership meetings taking place. As will USTA Missouri Valley Board of Directors members Beth Causey, Kimberly Y. Hughes Gill and Alex Lee.

Coaches Open

USTA Missouri Valley will have lots of representation at the 2026 Coaches Open including Laura Puryear, Marissa Moment Brown, Lindsay Hall, Sam Owoo-Battlet, Alywn Mushonga, Caitee Margenthaler and Rebecca Falkner Axelrod.

 

The inaugural event is Aug. 25-27. Those attending will experience powerhouse keynote speakers including Billie Jean King plus elite workshops and networking. There will also be on-court demos at the iconic Louis Armstrong Stadium.

CTA L.E.A.D. Program

This program focuses on building Community Tennis Association leaders by covering nonprofit leadership, innovation, collaboration and networking.

 

The program included five virtual sessions and will also include an in-person capstone experience in New York City during Arthur Ashe Kids' Day.

 

Marla Frantum of Adel, Iowa, with the Central Iowa Tennis Alliance will be a presenter. Frantum was selected for the National CTA L.E.A.D. (Leadership, Empowerment and Development) program. Also selected to attend the L.E.A.D. program is Jewels Martinez from First Serve OKC.

The North American Indian Tennis Association (NAITA) takes on Fan Week

On August 26, Kayla Bales Chisum and Tony Mullican, representing USTA Oklahoma and the North American Indian Tennis Association (NAITA), will take the Fan Week stage.

 

Mullican will also introduce a Native American dance company performing on the stage, providing an opportunity to share Native American culture with the thousands of tennis fans attending the US Open.

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