ABOUT CORTA
Annual Awards
2024 CORTA Awards Committee
Jennifer Williams, Chair • Susan Culpepper, Co-Chair
Contact jayce@corta.org with any questions!
Each year CORTA takes time out to recognize the tennis community for their love of the game, sportsmanship and dedication to the community.
To nominate someone, click the associated link below. Submission of a nominee does not necessarily guarantee presentation of an award. When submitting nominations, you must include the name of the person nominated and fully complete the form for your nominee to be considered
This perpetual cup is our special friend of tennis award. It is named in honor of Lenora J. Garrard for her unselfish commitment and contribution to the growth of tennis in Columbus and the region. It is presented to the person or persons who have similarly made an individual and unique contribution toward expanding and promoting tennis in our community.
Past Winners:
2019 Lauren Isom
2017 Bernard Francis
2016 William White
2013 Chris Schuster
2011 John P. Illges, IV Family
2006 Deby Caldwell
2005 Helen Martin
2004 Chuck Cumiskey
2003 Brenda & Gene Oswalt
2002 Judy Pearce
2001 Mat Swift/John Turner
This award is given to the person who (a) participates in league tennis, (b)achieves an exemplary win/loss record during the league year, (c) displays high levels of cooperation and unusually good sportsmanship throughout the league year, (d) shows good practice ethics, and (e) possesses a team spirit beyond expectations. Click here to submit your nomination!
Past Female Winners:
2023 Tracie Fitzgerald
2022 Anne Resty
2021 Helen Powell
2020 Ann Mitchell
2018 Valorie Harbour
2017 Debi Dinwiddie-Johnson
2016 Penny Dillon
2015 Jennifer Vasilescu
2013 Linda Samples
2012 Valorie Harbour
2011 Mary Nell Albright
2010 Jennifer Vasilescu/Sara Dismuke
2009 Donna Foster
2008 Michelle Fuller
2007 DeAnne Martin
2004 Penny Dillon
2003 Jeri Stewart
2002 ChaCha Parmer
2001 Penny Dillon
Past Male Winners:
2023 Jeremy Morris
2022 Matthew Boles
2021 Sagar Mody
2020 Ned Milstead
2019 Blake Tanner
2018 Jay Curlee
2017 John Crenshaw
2016 Mark Hudson
2015 Michael Dixon
2014 Roger Pearce (USTA Georgia Winner)
2014 Michael Ta
2013 Tony Hamilton
2012 Ted Preston/Roger Pearce
2011 Kevin Gunnels
2010 Chris Womack/Canyon Bowie
2009 Roger Pearce/Steve Thiel
2009 Daniel Alvite
2008 Wayne Keene
2006 Kevin Gunnels
2005 Terry Scott (USTA Georgia Winner)
2004 Ed Adams
2002 Terry Scott
2001 Roger Pearce
This award is given to the junior who (a) participates in league tennis, (b) achieves an exemplary win/loss record during the league year, (c) displays high levels of cooperation and unusally good sportsmanship throughout the league year, (d) shows good practice ethics, and (e) possess a team spirit beyond expectations. Click here to submit your nomination!
Past Female Winners:
2023 Wren Davenport
2022 Sally Fowler
2021 Katelyn Nix
2020 Kendall Isaacs
2019 Riley Faircloth
2017 Caroline Calhoun
2016 Bay Chapman
2015 Ruth Wade
2013 Abbie Dillon
2012 Moksha Doshi
2011 Abigail Courville
2010 Chantel Riley
2009 Laura Chapman
Past Male Winners:
2023 Jack Pease
2022 Ryan Boynton
2021 Arkan Gandhi
2020 Connor Landreth
2019 Sammy Buracker
2017 Harry Graham
2016 Lane Cannon
2015 Kyle Zumztein
2013 Preston Morpeth
2012 Win Cawthorne
2011 Kristopher Hill
2010 Brendon Farber
2009 Walt Trussell
This award is given to the junior who (a) participates in tournament level tennis, (b) holds a state, sectional, or national ranking, (c) participates in CORTA tennis programs, (d) demonstrates good sportsmanship, and (e) participates in CORTA service projects, thereby demonstrating a willingness to give back to the sport that has given her or him so much. Click here to submit your nomination!
Past Female Winners:
2023 Wynn Mayher
2022 Ava Chang
2021 Finley Jeffers
2020 Anna Steiner
2019 Katie Jones
2018 Katelyn Greer
2017 Mary Weston Courville
2016 Lillie Norred
2015 Gracie Hemmings
2014 Mary Weston Courville
2013 Haley Powell
2011 Katherine White
2010 Laura Chapman
2009 Katherine White
2008 Katherine White
2006 Katherine White
2005 Elizabeth White
2004 Sarah Cassman
2003 Elizabeth White (USTA Georgia Winner)
2002 Lowrey Williams
2001 Everett King
Past Male Winners:
2023 Andy Jung
2022 Andy Jung
2021 Marcel Dawson
2019 EJ Tymes
2018 Marcel Dawson
2017 Michael Vance Mercer
2016 Marcel Dawson
2015 Edward Tymes
2014 John Wesley Carlson
2013 Luke Harden
2012 Jonathan Dreelin
2011 Preston Morpeth
2010 Christian Garay
2009 Christian Garay
2008 Christian Garay (USTA Georgia Winner)
2006 Adam Sexton
2005 Brian Garber
2004 Brian Garber
2003 Daniel Harden (USTA Georgia Winner)
2002 Mason Stewart
2001 Warren Woolfolk
This award is presented to the family who in recent years has done the most to promote amateur tennis, primarily on a volunteer basis. All members of the family should participate in some way, either as players or by offering their services in running programs, tournaments, or junior development. Click here to submit your nomination!
2023 The Bill Dillon Family
2022 The Glenn Davis Family
2021 The Sungwoo Jung Family (USTA Georgia Winner)
2020 The Ramon Scott Family
2019 The Evan Isaacs Family
2017 The Nathan Guerrero Family
2016 The J. Menza Dudley Jr. Family
2014 The Craig Courville Family (USTA Georgia Winner, USTA Southern Winner)
2013 The John P. Illges, IV Family
2012 The Raj Arora Family (USTA Georgia Winner)
2010 The John P. Illges, IV Family (USTA Georgia Winner, USTA Southern Winner, USTA National Winner)
2009 The John P. Illges, IV Family
2008 The Adam Centerbar Family
2005 The Adam Centerbar Family (USTA Georgia Winner)
2004 The Chris Schuster Family
2003 The William Heard White Family
2002 The Mike Stewart Family (USTA Georgia Winner)
This award is presented to the person who exemplifies an unselfish attitude with her or his personal commitment to CORTA by promoting tennis in our community through exemplary volunteer efforts. Click here to submit your nomination!
2023 Clifford Simmons
2022 Janet Hart
2021 Mike Williams (USTA Georgia Winner)
2020 Linda Gordon
2019 Linda Gordon (USTA Georgia Winner, USTA Southern Winner)
2018 Brian Smith
2017 Ashley Williams
2016 Linda Gordon/Claudia Smith
2015 Sandy Pirkle
2014 Bernard Francis (USTA Georgia Winner)
2013 Michelle Fuller
2012 Adam Centerbar (USTA Georgia Winner)
2011 Russ Hagberg
2010 Lynn Reis
2009 Bernard Francis
2008 Barbara Farish
2007 Dwan Grooms
2006 Steve Scheer (USTA Georgia Winner)
2005 Brenda Oswalt (USTA Georgia Winner, USTA Southern Winner)
2004 Mary Blackmon (USTA Georgia Winner)
2003 Ken Smith
2002 Helen Martin
2001 Sara Dismuke/Jeri Stewart
This award is presented to the captain who (a) has been a captain during two seasons in the year under consideration (i.e. fall, winter, spring or summer), (b) has displayed exemplary leadership ability, (c) has great enthusiasm for tennis, (d) has good organizational skills, (e) has served as a good role model for sportsmanship, and (f) has shown a dedication to achieving the goals of CORTA. This award will be selected by the CORTA Adult League Committee. Click here to submit your nomination!
Past Female Winners:
2023 Dayna Johnson
2022 Connie Philips
2021 Melanie Smith
2020 Victoria Green
2019 Danielle Ernst
2018 Teresa Ellison
2017 Ashley McCoy
2016 Wanda Morpeth
2015 Alexis Miller
2014 Noelle Brena
2013 Nancy Beach
2012 Joy Shellnutt
2011 Chrisy McAdams
2010 Niki Gedroic
2009 Stephanie Lee
2008 Sarah Mathis
2007 Teresa Douthit
2006 Bonnie Whitt
2005 Susan Culpepper
2004 Gail Burgos
2003 Nancy Ray
2002 Jeanne Hackaday
Past Male Winners:
2023 Mo Duncan
2022 Walter Henry
2021 Bruce Lee
2019 Rob Schwoebel
2018 Michael Ta
2017 David Barrett
2016 Ben Malo
2015 Hal Casion
2014 Richard Galbraith (USTA Georgia Winner)
2013 Chuck Tharpe (USTA Georgia Winner)
2012 Greg Yates (USTA Georgia Winner)
2011 Chris Addison
2010 Doug Gibson
2009 Richard Galbraith/Al Dean
2008 Jeff Ammerman (USTA Georgia Winner)
2007 Adam Centerbar
2006 Gene Oswalt
2005 Sidney Crews
2004 Adam Centerbar/Richard Galbraith
2003 Bill Douglas/Mark Mims
This award is presented to the captain who (a) has captained at least two seasons of Jr. Team Tennis, (b) provides a safe environment for the players, (c) communicates in a positive way, (d) teaches the fundamentals of tennis through drills and practices, (e) teaches the rules of tennis, (f) directs players in competition, (g) helps players become fit and value fitness for a lifetime, (h) helps players to develop character by demonstration and encouraging behaviors that express traits of caring about others, honesty, respectfulness, fairness, and taking responsibilities. This award will be selected by the CORTA Junior Committee. Click here to submit your nomination!
Past Winners:
2022 Carrie Sigman
2021 Sandy Pirkle
2020 Eliza Brewer
2019 Christy Lynch
2018 Sandy Pirkle
2017 Kimberly Udy
2016 Mike Greer
2015 Nancy Boren
2014 Meika Hilsman
2013 Alpna Arora
2012 Charlie Clippinger (USTA Georgia Winner)
2011 Natasha Arora
2023 Sarai Turner
2022 Christopher Walker
2021 Rose Stephens
2020 Arianna Williams
2019 Daniel Torres
2018 Daniel Torres
2017 Milagros Tavera
2016 Bonnie Kelly
2015 Ragan Faircloth
2014 Jarib Beazer
2013 Eman Cohen
2012 Kenneth Johnson
2011 Jazmine Moody
2010 Suleiman Bilal
2009 Jeremiah Harrison
2008 Kristopher Hill
2007 Ronnie Flores
2006 Lainese Ross
2005 Chanceton Scott
2004 Jabez Beazer
2003 Gabriella Brown
2002 Iana Gibson
2001 Val Boddie
Past Female Winners:
2023 Ankita Nukala
2022 Ankita Nukala
2021 Ankita Nukala
2020 Pranati Yadlapalli
2019 Anna Steiner
2017 Caroline Brown
2016 Caroline Brown
2015 Annslee Reis
2014 Mary Grier Illges
2013 Mary Grier Illges
2012 Mary Grier Illges
2011 Mary Grier Illges
2010 Anne Lyle Illges
2009 Anne Lyle Illges
Past Male Winners:
2023 Harris Fox
2022 Harris Fox
2021 Harris Fox
2020 Oscar Jones
2019 Taylor Davis
2017 Varun Nukala
2016 Kyle Canady
2015 Kyle Canady
2014 Kyle Zumstein/John Ferguson
2013 John Ferguson
2012 John Illges
2011 John Illges
2010 John Illges
2009 Kevin Jacobson
2008 Kevin Jacobson
Past Winners:
2023 Harris Fox
2022 Ben Davis
2021 Marcel Dawson
2020 Maya Boynton
2019 Mary Weston Courville
2018 Mary Weston Courville
2017 Mary Weston Courville/Jacob Yates
2016 Rachel Hemmings
2015 Yujin Hicks
2014 Kazuki Onoe
2013 Ellis Bunn
2012 Hennsey Ngo
2011 Randee May
2010 Laura Chapman
2009 Blake Bowden/Kevin Jacobson
2008 Blair Prescott
2007 Marcos Rivera
2014 Ken Smith
2013 Hary Ruzeski
2012 Ron Morrison
2011 Ken Smith
2010 Ken Smith
2009 Ken Smith
2006 Nita Perry
2005 Bob Offer
2004 Ken Smith (USTA Georgia Winner)
2003 George Panos