Jennifer Edmunson honored with the 2026 Eve Kraft Community Service Award
Diez defensores del deporte del tenis a nivel local y de base fueron homenajeados con premios nacionales en la Reunión y Conferencia Anual de la 2026 en Orlando, Florida.
WATCH: Jennifer Edmunson honored with the Eve Kraft Community Service Award
Jennifer Edmunson of Baton Rouge, La., was selected as the recipient of the Eve Kraft Community Service Award. Edmonson was honored at the USTA Annual Meeting & Conference in Orlando, Fla.
The USTA awards the Eve Kraft Community Service Award to individuals who best exemplify Kraft’s selfless mission to bring the sport of tennis to everyone who wants to play. Kraft was a tennis pioneer whose ability to touch people’s lives went beyond the tennis court. As a teacher, coach, author, USTA staff member and volunteer, Kraft was a lifelong champion of recreational tennis in the U.S. until she died in 1999. She introduced thousands of young people to tennis, particularly in disadvantaged communities.
Jennifer Edmonson is a pioneer in wheelchair tennis with over 25 years of service, notably as the long-time tournament director for the Cajun Classic in Baton Rouge. This prestigious event is one of only four Super Series wheelchair tennis tournaments worldwide and the only one of its kind in North America, attracting 175 professional and amateur players from 20 countries to compete for Paralympic qualifying points.
Beyond this premier event, Edmonson’s extensive leadership includes serving as the Tournament Director for the 2023 US Open Wheelchair Championships, multiple terms as the USTA Wheelchair Tennis Committee Chair, and as a member of the ITF Wheelchair Committee.
Her deep commitment to the community is evident in her 18 years of volunteer service with the Louisiana Tennis Association, her role as the USTA Southern Wheelchair Tennis Chair since 2019, and her work with the Greater Baton Rouge Community Tennis Association, which serves over 3,000 adults and 300 juniors each year.
USTA interim co-CEO and Chairman of the Board and President Brian Vahaly poses with Jennifer Edmonson and the trophy for the Eve Kraft Community Service Award at the 2026 Annual Meeting & Conference. Photo by Susan Mullane/USTA.
Edmonson has been honored as the Wheelchair Tennis Champion of the Year by Racquet Sports Industry Magazine and has led major initiatives, including the 2022 Hallowheel charity tournament, which raised a record $51,000.
“Jennifer is a true champion for the game at the grassroots level,” said Brian Vahaly, USTA President and interim co-CEO. “Her work, particularly within Louisiana’s wheelchair tennis community, has helped more people see that tennis is a sport for everyone. She’s also made a meaningful impact internationally through her work with the ITF, extending that same commitment to inclusion on a global stage. She leads with purpose, and her impact continues to open doors for others.”
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