Five Minnesotans Among USTA Northern’s 2026 Award Recipients, Four Selected for Hall of Fame
Published: October 9, 2026
EAGAN, MN: Five Minnesota residents are among those USTA Northern recognized as part of its 2026 section awards, celebrating contributions to tennis through sportsmanship, community service, officiating, player development, and media coverage.
The Eagan-based organization announced its 2026 Hall of Fame class and annual award recipients on Wednesday, October 7, recognizing individuals, coaches, volunteers and organizations whose work has helped strengthen and expand tennis throughout Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and western Wisconsin.
This year's honorees include five individuals from Minnesota, representing New Brighton, St. Paul, Hopkins, Minneapolis and Minnetonka, along with four new Hall of Fame inductees from North Dakota and South Dakota. The recipients will be formally recognized during the 2026 USTA Northern Awards and Hall of Fame Gala on Saturday, October 31, 2026, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Five Minnesota Residents Recognized for Contributions to Tennis
Among the nine section awards announced by USTA Northern, five will go to Minnesota residents for their contributions to the sport in several areas.
Beth Soberg — New Brighton, Minnesota
Albert Teeter Adult Sportsmanship Award
Beth Soberg of New Brighton has been selected to receive the Albert Teeter Adult Sportsmanship Award. The award recognizes sportsmanship within adult tennis, highlighting the importance of positive conduct and respect in competition.
Soberg is one of five Minnesota residents receiving section honors this year.
Robin Coverdale — St. Paul, Minnesota
Jack Dow Adult Development Award
Robin Coverdale of St. Paul has been named the recipient of the Jack Dow Adult Development Award. Robin is the Director of Tennis at the Fred Wells Tennis and Education Center, where she has worked since 2014. According to a piece on Robin by the USTA Northern for Women’s History Month, her tennis career began at age 14 at a local tennis club in Arden Hills, Minnesota, before she played collegiate tennis at Montana State University, where she won three conference championships and qualified for the NCAA Championships twice, according to the MSU Bobcats. Coverdale later coached high school tennis teams and women's USTA League teams. She joined Fred Wells as the Adult Coordinator in 2014 before being promoted to Director of Tennis in 2016. Her experience spans competitive play, coaching, and adult tennis development, helping expand opportunities for players throughout the community.
The award recognizes contributions to adult tennis development, an important part of expanding opportunities for players to participate in the sport beyond junior and collegiate competition.
Jan Prihoda — Hopkins, Minnesota
Rocky Rockwell Grassroots Official Award
Jan Prihoda of Hopkins has been selected to receive the Rocky Rockwell Grassroots Official Award. The recognition highlights the role of grassroots tennis officials, who support organized competition and help maintain fair play.
Officials are essential to tennis tournaments and competitive events, helping ensure matches are conducted according to established rules and standards.
Raheem Simmons — Minneapolis, Minnesota
Wolfenson-Ratner Community Service Award
Raheem Simmons of Minneapolis will receive the Wolfenson-Ratner Community Service Award. Raheem serves as the Director of Social Impact at Inner City Tennis, bringing more than 20 years of experience in education, youth development, and community engagement. He has worked with Columbia Heights, Robbinsdale and Bloomington Public Schools, supporting students and promoting cultural understanding. Simmons previously served as sports director at the Blaisdell YMCA and has coached basketball for more than a decade, from elementary-level AAU teams to varsity basketball at Robbinsdale Cooper High School. His work focuses on creating opportunities for young people, supporting families and making a positive impact in underserved communities.
The recognition highlights community service within tennis, an area that supports the sport's continued growth and its connections with local communities. Community involvement is central to USTA Northern's mission to expand tennis participation and create opportunities for individuals throughout the region.
Sheri Brenden — Minnetonka, Minnesota
Bob Larson Media Excellence Award
Sheri Brenden of Minnetonka has been named the recipient of the Bob Larson Media Excellence Award. Sheri is an author, former reporter, magazine writer, and research librarian. She is the author of Break Point, a book examining a landmark 1972 federal court case that helped expand athletic opportunities for girls, including her older sister, Peggy Brenden, a high school tennis player. Her work highlights the barriers female athletes faced in gaining equal access to sports. Brenden has also coached girls' and boys' soccer, basketball, and tennis teams.
The award recognizes excellence in tennis-related media, acknowledging the importance of communication and coverage in promoting the sport and sharing its stories. Media coverage helps bring attention to players, competitions, organizations, and community programs that contribute to the growth of tennis.
Four Individuals Selected for 2026 USTA Northern Hall of Fame
In addition to the section awards, USTA Northern announced four individuals for induction into its Hall of Fame, recognizing decades of contributions to tennis as players, coaches, administrators, and community leaders.
Although none of this year's four inductees are listed as Minnesota residents, their contributions have helped shape tennis throughout the broader USTA Northern region.
Bob Cordova — Bismarck, North Dakota
Known as "Mr. North Dakota Tennis," Bob Cordova has spent more than five decades playing, coaching, and promoting tennis.
Cordova founded the Bismarck/Mandan Tennis Association in 1972 and helped introduce USTA tournaments to North Dakota. He also served as tournament director for the Jackie Dockter Memorial Tennis Tournament for more than 15 years.
Throughout more than 30 years as a high school tennis coach in Bismarck, along with collegiate coaching positions at Bismarck State College and the University of Mary, Cordova helped mentor generations of student-athletes.
He was among the inaugural inductees into the North Dakota Tennis Hall of Fame in 2014.
Jessie Daw — Vermillion, South Dakota
Jessie Daw has made contributions to tennis as a competitor, educator, coach, and administrator.
A former South Dakota state singles and doubles champion, Daw competed in the Big Ten and became the University of Illinois' first nationally ranked female tennis player. She later served as head women's tennis coach and professor at Northern State University and as executive director of Huether Family Match Pointe.
Daw also helped develop the national USTA Net Generation curriculum, based on the American Development Model, and served eight years on the USTA Northern Board of Directors.
In 2025, she was recognized at the US Open as a USTA Champion of Equality. She was previously inducted into the South Dakota Tennis Hall of Fame in 2018.
Liz Hamburg — Rapid City, South Dakota
Liz Hamburg has dedicated nearly two decades to tennis leadership and volunteer service at the local, regional and national levels.
As president of the Black Hills Tennis Association, Hamburg helped lead the development of Rapid City's 12-court Parkview tennis complex. She also coached the St. Thomas More High School girls tennis team to a state championship in 2015.
Hamburg previously served as president of USTA Northern, becoming the first person to serve two consecutive terms in that position.
She was inducted into the South Dakota Tennis Hall of Fame in 2022.
Cindy Huether — Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Cindy Huether has played a significant role in expanding community tennis opportunities in South Dakota.
As executive director of the Sioux Falls Tennis Association and a co-founding board member of Huether Family Match Pointe, she helped establish the state's first nonprofit public indoor tennis facility developed by a Community Tennis Association. Her work also included introducing permanent tennis court lines at 24 elementary school grounds, developing courts for children ages 10 and younger at Spellerberg Park and supporting renovations to Augustana University's tennis facility.
Huether was named the 2017 Tennis Industry Association National Tennis Advocate of the Year and was inducted into the South Dakota Tennis Hall of Fame in 2021.
She currently serves as secretary of the USTA Northern Board of Directors.
Additional Award Recipients Across the Region
Along with the five Minnesota honorees, USTA Northern announced four additional section award recipients from North Dakota and South Dakota.
Together, the section award recipients represent contributions across junior tennis development, adult programming, sportsmanship, officiating, community involvement, and organizational leadership.
Hall of Fame Has Strong Minnesota Connection
Although this year's Hall of Fame inductees come from North Dakota and South Dakota, the USTA Northern Hall of Fame has a permanent home in Minnesota.
Plaques recognizing the four new inductees will be displayed at the Fred Wells Tennis and Education Center in St. Paul, where the USTA Northern Hall of Fame is located. The Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the growth and development of tennis throughout the region, including players, coaches, volunteers and administrators.
According to USTA Northern, the Hall of Fame currently includes more than 120 inductees. The recognition also connects this year's honorees to Minnesota's broader tennis community, where the Fred Wells Tennis and Education Center serves as the permanent home for preserving the organization's Hall of Fame history.
Awards Ceremony Scheduled for October 31st
The 2026 USTA Northern Awards and Hall of Fame Gala will take place on Saturday, October 31st, 2026, at the Washington Pavilion in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
The event will begin at 6 p.m. Central Time and will recognize both the four Hall of Fame inductees and the nine section award recipients.
The gala will be held alongside the 2026 MarketBeat Open ATP Challenger 100 tournament, bringing together members of the regional tennis community for the annual celebration.
About USTA Northern
USTA Northern is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Eagan, Minnesota, and is one of 17 regional sections of the United States Tennis Association.
The organization serves Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and northwestern Wisconsin, with a mission to grow tennis participation and support healthier individuals and communities. Through its programs, competitions, partnerships, and community initiatives, USTA Northern works to expand access to tennis for individuals of different ages and skill levels.
The annual section awards and Hall of Fame inductions recognize the individuals and organizations contributing to those efforts throughout the region.
For more information about the 2026 awards and Hall of Fame ceremony, contact USTA Northern through Glen Andresen, director of marketing and engagement, at 952-358-3292 or glen@northern.usta.com.
Written by: Will Wight
Cover Photo Credit: USTA
