| Born | 1950 (age 72–73) Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Turned pro | 1973 |
| Retired | 1977 |
| College | Morgan State |
Ann Koger (born 1950) is an American former tennis player and coach. An African-American tennis pioneer, she was the coach of Haverford College's women's tennis team from 1981 to 2016.
Life and career
Born in Baltimore in 1950, Koger took up tennis at age seven or eight.[1] As a young player, she faced racial segregation on the courts of Druid Hill Park in Baltimore.[2] She was the first African American to win the Maryland State Tennis Championships.[2] In 1968, she won the American Tennis Association (ATA)'s National Women's Doubles Championship.[3] In college, she was a multi-sport athlete, including a member of Morgan State's men's tennis team from 1969 to 1972.[3][4] She was one of the first African Americans to play on the Virginia Slims Circuit (the precursor of the WTA Tour), where she played from 1973 to 1977.[3][5]
Koger was hired to coach Haverford's women's tennis team in 1981.[3] The program won multiple conference championships during her tenure.[6][7] In 2016, she retired after 35 years in the position.[6]
References
- ↑ "Interview with Ann Koger" (PDF). UCLA. June 19, 2020. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
- 1 2 Carter, Aaron (April 13, 2012). "Ann Koger, One of Maryland's Tennis Pioneers". Capital News Service. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
- 1 2 3 4 "Player, Coach, Volunteer: The Inspiring Career of Ann Koger". USTA. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
- ↑ Cassie, Ron (February 2022). "Baltimore's Ann Koger Smashed Tennis Barriers". Baltimore. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
- ↑ "Women's History Month: Exclusive Conversation With Ann Koger - The Life Experience Of An African-American Woman Who Would Not Be Denied". Black Tennis Hall of Fame. March 23, 2021. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
- 1 2 Hunt, Donald (August 12, 2016). "Haverford College women's head tennis coach Ann Koger retires after 35 seasons". The Philadelphia Tribune. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
- ↑ "Ann Koger Announces Retirement at Haverford". Haverford College. August 4, 2016. Retrieved February 26, 2023.