Greg Hansen's top 10 girls high school tennis players in Tucson history
- Updated
Star sports columnist Greg Hansen counts down the top 10 girls high school tennis players in Tucson history.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Editor’s note: This summer, Star columnist Greg Hansen is counting down the top 10 of just about everything related to Tucson sports. Today’s list: Tucson’s top girls high school tennis players.
Meghann Shaughnessy, the daughter of a Tucson financial advisor, grew up in Tucson and moved to Scottsdale to further her blossoming tennis career.
By 2001, Shaughnessy rose to No. 11 in the women’s world tennis rankings, a regular in Grand Slam events from Wimbledon to the U.S. Open. But she didn’t play high school tennis in Tucson.
That’s how it works if you are a potential world-class tennis player; you move on and move up. The history of Tucson’s top female tennis players reflects Shaughnessy’s path.
In 1998, Sara Robbins won the state singles championship as a sophomore at Santa Rita High School. Robbins was undefeated in singles and doubles and rose to No. 1 in the USTA Southwest rankings, the winner of a USTA national doubles championship for 16U in St. Louis.
Robbins then left high school tennis to work against a higher level of competition. Ultimately, she earned a scholarship to Miami and was a four-year letter winner.
A decade earlier, Canyon del Oro junior Banni Redhair, daughter of former UA football standout Jack Redhair, won the 1987 state singles championship. (Banni was favored to win the ’86 title but an ankle injury prevented her from participating in the finals). She then skipped her senior year of eligibility to train against better competition.
Redhair became a four-year letterwinner at Arizona, one of the top players in school history.
And this year, Tucsonan Maddie Pothoff, who did not participate in any high school tennis in Tucson, became a first-team All-American at Alabama, finishing No. 2 in the NCAA doubles championships. Pothoff played a national UTSA schedule during her teenage years before enrolling at Alabama.
It doesn’t mean the list of Tucson’s 10 leading women’s tennis players is any less impressive. To make this list, you had to be, at least, a state champion.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
The first girls tennis player in state history to win four consecutive singles championships, Strohm won it all at Salpointe Catholic in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002. She only lost one set in four years, as a freshman. Strohm then went on to be a four-year standout at Texas. She is now a dentist in Austin.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
It didn’t take long for someone to challenge Strohm’s 4-for-4 streak. Catalina Foothills’ Sufi won state championships in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003 before becoming a regular at Purdue.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
By the time she plays three more seasons at Alabama, Pothoff could be an NCAA champion.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Much like Redhair and Robbins, Loyola left school to train (in Ojai, California) after winning the 1997 and 1998 state singles championships at Salpointe.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Banni grew up in one of Tucson’s leading sports families: father Jack was a UA lineman, mother Diane was one of Arizona’s top age-group tennis players, and brother Mike became the starting point guard at Arizona State.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Part of the long heritage of tennis success at Rincon/University High, Kempton won the state singles championship in 1996, 1997 and 1998.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
As CDO emerged as one of Tucson’s leading high school sports schools, Esparza was as successful as any Dorado athlete in the 1970s, winning state singles championships in 1975, 1976 and 1977.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Basically a one-woman team, Robbins led an otherwise ordinary Santa Rita team to a No. 2 overall finish in the 1998 state championships. She was coached by her sister, Melissa, who won the state singles title at Santa Rita in 1992 and played at Boston College.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Now the head women’s tennis coach at George Washington, Browning won state singles titles at Ironwood Ridge in 2004 and 2005 and then went on to a winning career at Wichita State.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Although she didn’t start playing tennis until she was 14, Meza became one of the state’s best players (and most compelling stories) at Desert View, earning a scholarship to Stetson.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Courtney and Caroline Amos won state singles championships at Salpointe in 2012 and 2015, respectively. Courtney also teamed with Lauren Amos to win state doubles championships in 2009 and 2010. Courtney and Caroline both went on to be a standout tennis player at Yale.
Editor’s note: This summer, Star columnist Greg Hansen is counting down the top 10 of just about everything related to Tucson sports. Today’s list: Tucson’s top girls high school tennis players.
Meghann Shaughnessy, the daughter of a Tucson financial advisor, grew up in Tucson and moved to Scottsdale to further her blossoming tennis career.
By 2001, Shaughnessy rose to No. 11 in the women’s world tennis rankings, a regular in Grand Slam events from Wimbledon to the U.S. Open. But she didn’t play high school tennis in Tucson.
That’s how it works if you are a potential world-class tennis player; you move on and move up. The history of Tucson’s top female tennis players reflects Shaughnessy’s path.
In 1998, Sara Robbins won the state singles championship as a sophomore at Santa Rita High School. Robbins was undefeated in singles and doubles and rose to No. 1 in the USTA Southwest rankings, the winner of a USTA national doubles championship for 16U in St. Louis.
Robbins then left high school tennis to work against a higher level of competition. Ultimately, she earned a scholarship to Miami and was a four-year letter winner.
A decade earlier, Canyon del Oro junior Banni Redhair, daughter of former UA football standout Jack Redhair, won the 1987 state singles championship. (Banni was favored to win the ’86 title but an ankle injury prevented her from participating in the finals). She then skipped her senior year of eligibility to train against better competition.
Redhair became a four-year letterwinner at Arizona, one of the top players in school history.
And this year, Tucsonan Maddie Pothoff, who did not participate in any high school tennis in Tucson, became a first-team All-American at Alabama, finishing No. 2 in the NCAA doubles championships. Pothoff played a national UTSA schedule during her teenage years before enrolling at Alabama.
It doesn’t mean the list of Tucson’s 10 leading women’s tennis players is any less impressive. To make this list, you had to be, at least, a state champion.
The first girls tennis player in state history to win four consecutive singles championships, Strohm won it all at Salpointe Catholic in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002. She only lost one set in four years, as a freshman. Strohm then went on to be a four-year standout at Texas. She is now a dentist in Austin.
It didn’t take long for someone to challenge Strohm’s 4-for-4 streak. Catalina Foothills’ Sufi won state championships in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003 before becoming a regular at Purdue.
By the time she plays three more seasons at Alabama, Pothoff could be an NCAA champion.
Much like Redhair and Robbins, Loyola left school to train (in Ojai, California) after winning the 1997 and 1998 state singles championships at Salpointe.
Banni grew up in one of Tucson’s leading sports families: father Jack was a UA lineman, mother Diane was one of Arizona’s top age-group tennis players, and brother Mike became the starting point guard at Arizona State.
Part of the long heritage of tennis success at Rincon/University High, Kempton won the state singles championship in 1996, 1997 and 1998.
As CDO emerged as one of Tucson’s leading high school sports schools, Esparza was as successful as any Dorado athlete in the 1970s, winning state singles championships in 1975, 1976 and 1977.
Basically a one-woman team, Robbins led an otherwise ordinary Santa Rita team to a No. 2 overall finish in the 1998 state championships. She was coached by her sister, Melissa, who won the state singles title at Santa Rita in 1992 and played at Boston College.
Now the head women’s tennis coach at George Washington, Browning won state singles titles at Ironwood Ridge in 2004 and 2005 and then went on to a winning career at Wichita State.
Although she didn’t start playing tennis until she was 14, Meza became one of the state’s best players (and most compelling stories) at Desert View, earning a scholarship to Stetson.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
Courtney and Caroline Amos won state singles championships at Salpointe in 2012 and 2015, respectively. Courtney also teamed with Lauren Amos to win state doubles championships in 2009 and 2010. Courtney and Caroline both went on to be a standout tennis player at Yale.
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