Women making waves: Celebrating leaders growing tennis across USTA Missouri Valley

Check out a roundup of feature stories spotlighting the players, leaders, coaches and hall of famers making an imprint across the USTA Missouri Valley.

🎾 Candace Asbell discovered a new level of competition when her husband of 40 years joined her on the court in 2019, turning mixed doubles into shared travel, friendships and memorable USTA husband-and-wife tournament experiences. Read more about the Kansas City-area partners in play by checking out this article.

🎾 As executive director of the Oklahoma Tennis Foundation, Carmen Bond is creating opportunities for players in all 77 counties of Oklahoma. Those efforts include scholarships, grants and free community clinics, funded in part by the $317,000 the OKTF recently raised. Read more about Bond's statewide impact by viewing this story.

🎾 From UCLA standout to US Open competitor to ITF 65+ Masters representative for Team USA, Shannon Carney has had an impressive tennis journey. And a star-studded one, too, as she's played doubles with Gene Wilder, Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner. Carney, the longtime women's tennis coach at Principia College, still loves competing and inspiring others; read her story here.

🎾 For 50+ years, Jane Hines has shaped Nebraska tennis as a player, coach, mentor and volunteer. The USTA Missouri Valley Hall of Famer and USTA Nebraska Hall of Famer is a lifelong tennis advocate and continues giving back to schools, parks and youth/adaptive players in Omaha. Read about her impact here.

🎾 Cindy Rasche has spent 42 years in tennis as a player, coach, official and leader. Her 2025 induction into the USTA Iowa Hall of Fame is the culmination of decades of joy, service and community impact. But Rasche is far from finished. Read more about her ongoing legacy here.

🎾 Carol Rollins has been a USTA competitor for almost two decades, often taking leadership positions whether designated that way or not. Rollins recently became certified as an official, took on the role of USTA Missouri district league coordinator and chairs the USTA Missouri Awards. She is a USTA League player and captain, guiding multiple teams to nationals. View her full story here.

View Women's History Month articles from prior years here.