As an individual sport, tennis helps build stamina, self confidence and new friendships on and off the court. And, thanks to the Colorado Youth Tennis Foundation (CYTF), a new generation of young tennis talent continues to grow and develop across the state.
Every Fall Colorado’s top tennis players, fans and supporters gather to celebrate the tennis community as part of the Colorado Tennis Hall of Fame & USTA Colorado Annual Awards Gala. This year’s event was held on Saturday, November 7 at the Infinity Events Center in Glendale, CO.
Emceed by Christine Chang Gillette and Andy Zodin, the event again honors top players, industry leaders, volunteers, and the best in sportsmanship. To keep the Gala down to earth, guests are encouraged to relax and wear their most comfortable tennis sneakers to enjoy the camaraderie of the evening. All proceeds benefit the CYTF, the charitable arm of USTA Colorado which is committed to teaching tennis to all youth regardless of economic, social or ethnic background.
Special thanks went to event organizer and USTA-CO Associate Executive Director Lisa Schaeffer and her staff. Awards were presented by USTA-CO Board Member Angela Finan to a dozen top statewide tennis leaders in teaching, sportsmanship and community engagement. Live auctioneer Deidre Smith masterfully generated record profits early in the evening. Finally, the event honored 2026 Hall of Fame inductees: Randy Ross and Sharon Walsh who each described their tennis careers, expressed gratitude to their mentors, and toasted the USTA’s outreach work.
Randy Ross is an Indiana native and former player for Indiana State University. He moved to Denver in 1976 to start a long career in tennis including 23 years at Colorado Athletic Club Inverness. From 1996 to 2021 he was head of the Kent Denver School’s boys high school tennis coach and led the program to 10 state titles. In 2020 he fulfilled a longtime dream by developing, building and opening the Randy Ross Tennis Center, a premier six-court indoor tennis facility that serves players of all ages and abilities.
California native Sharon Walsh is a former professional tennis player and longtime teaching professional. She won the Wimbledon girls’ singles title in 1970 and achieved the No. 1 world ranking in the Girls 18s division. She then launched a distinguished international career that spanned the early Open Era. In the 1980s she was a very competitive doubles player and reached the semis at four Grand Slam tournaments. She served as head teaching pro at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs.
Below are the other 2026 USTA-Colorado award winners:
ON-COURT ACHIEVEMENT
Male Player of the Year: Christian Trevey
Female Player of the Year: Quinn Bernthal
Senior Player of the Year: Walter Steige
SPORTSMANSHIP
Margaret Rogers Phipps: Ivy Walker
John Hough Award: Geoffrey Acton Long
Phyllis Lockwood Award: JoAnna Kennedy
Mike, Gene & Maurice Reidy Award: Alex Rodriguez-Fields
Charlie & Ira Brown Award: Adhrit Sundaresan
SERVICE AWARDS
Organization of the Year: The Club at Rolling Hills
Volunteer of the Year: George Tavarez
Family of the Year: The Gillette Family
Arthur Ashe Award: Sharif Abdelhamid
Clyde Rogers Award:Sylvia Henderson
Bud Robineau Award: Shelly Lundh Freeman
Established in 1961 CYTF helps youth discover tennis and their own strength, character, and potential. According to the USTA-CO, the CYTF provides individual player scholarships and grants to youth and organizations statewide. CYTF prepares the next generation of junior players from small rural towns and larger metro areas. For more information on the Colorado Youth Tennis Foundation please visit the web site at cytf.net
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- Ming Chew, Renee Tracy
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- 2026 USTA Colorado Hall of Fame inductee Randy Ross
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- 2026 USTA Colorado Hall of Fame inductees Sharon Walsh and Randy Ross
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- More than 300 attended this year’s USTA Colorado Hall of Fame Gala and Annual Awards
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- Tennis shoes are a recurring theme for the Hall of Fame event
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- USTA Colorado is among the nation’s largest USTA leagues
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- Alexa and Jessica Powell
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- Howard Freeman, Award Winner Shelley Lundh Freeman, George Tavarez
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- Craig Patti with past Hall of Fame inductee Cory Ross
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- Each year USTA Colorado guests are encouraged to wear tennis shoes to the event
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- Kristine and Art Zeile
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- Russell and Mary Stewart
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- Eileen Pero, Bread and Brooke Webb, and Mike Haber
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- Meg Tully, Sue Hippe
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- Alexa and Jessica Powell (front) with Sue Hippe, Meg Tully
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- The annual USTA Colorado Annual Awards were held at Infinity Park Events Center in Glendale, CO
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- Robert and Charmaine Campbell, Elisa Dean, and Leslie and Craig Davis
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- Nina Rood, CYTF Board President Gonzalo Garcia, Rachel Bloombaum, Alia Ghandour
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- CYTF participants Jessica and Jeffrey Nketsia
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- Alberto Gutierrez, Shannon and Neil Macey
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- Geoff Long, Jami and Cary Hodges
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- Erika Long, Catalina Long, Heather Grey
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- Kathleen Weingartner, Mary Garger
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- Eileen Pero, Mandy Sheehan
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- The 2026 event was held at the Infinity Park Event Center
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- The annual Colorado Tennis awards and fundraising event attracted more than 300 guests
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- The event raises proceeds for the Colorado Youth Tennis Association (CYTA)
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- CJ Willey, Laura Saiber Ehrlich
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- USTA Colorado Board Member Angela Finan introduces guests to the event
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- Infinity Park Events Center hosted the 2026 USTA-Colorado Gala
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- Guests were very pro-active in the live auction
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- Auctioneer Deidre Smith’s energy generated funds for luxury packages
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- The live auction remains an exciting part of the event
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- Angela Finan presents Christian Trevey as Male Player of the Year
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- Angela Finan presents Walter Steige as Senior Player of the Year
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- received the award on behalf of The Club at Rolling Hills
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- Angela Finan presents USTA- Colorado Board Member George Tavarez with Volunteer of the Year Award
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- The Gillette Family were honored with the Elliott Family Award for tennis Family of the Year
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- Adhirit Sunderesan received the Charlie & Ira Brown Award for sportsmanship
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- Geoffrey Acton Long received the John Hough Award for sportsmanship
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- Ivy Walker received the Margaret Rogers Phipps Award for sportsmanship
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- Alex Rodriguez-Fields received the Mike, Gene and Maurice Reidy Award for sportsmanship
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- 2026 Hall of Fame inductee Sharon Walsh thanks guests for the honor
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- Angela Finan presents the 2026 Hall of Fame award to Sharon Walsh
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- Sharif Abdelhamid received the Arthur Ashe Award for supporting under-resourced populations
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- Sylvia Anderson received the Clyde Rogers Award for here service to recreational players
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- Shelley Lundh Freeman received the Bud Robineua Award for service to the tennis community
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- The three Service Award Winners stay united in their commitment to tennis
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- Hall of Fame inductee proposes a toast to the USTA Colorado Tennis Association and guests
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- Angela Finan presents award to 2026 Hall of Fame inductee Randy Ross
