A self-taught tennis player who became a champion, Marguerite Chesney (b.1893-d.1971) pioneered women's intercollegiate competition during her 36-year career at the University of Arizona. In the 1930's Chesney began to organize regional Play Days for college women; and in 1947 she initiated the co-educational Arizona Intercollegiate Invitational Tournament which she directed for the next decade.

Chesney's career includes many milestones; the most singles titles in the Southwestern and Arizona Opens; the first woman sectional delegate to the USTA; the first woman to be inducted into her university's Sports Hall of Fame. Beloved by her students, she coached many champions including the 1946 national winner in junior doubles, Mary Cunningham. Another student, Laura Morgan Stubbs, wrote in tribute, "Any memory of Miss Chesney is a happy one."

B.S.'25 University of Arizona; M.A.'29 Columbia University

Southwestern Tennis Association Singles Champion 1916, 1918-1920, 1923, 1927; Doubles Campion 1919-1920, 1922, 1927

Arizona Open Singles Champion 1916-1920, 1926-1927, 1931

First woman president of the SWTA 1939-1940

Initiated Arizona Intercollegiate Invitational Tournament 1947; tournament director 1947-1957

Initiated Racquet Club Tennis Tournament for under-15 players 1946

Marguerite Chesney Cup for women's singles donated to the SWTA 1948

First woman appointed as a sectional delegate to the USTA 1952; member, USTA Women's Advisory Committee 1954

Coached Jeanne Doyle Garrett 1948-1950, singles and doubles champion at the Ojai,California Intercollegiates: Mari Bailey Bell 1942-1946, SWTA singles and doubles champion; Marie Jacks 1945-1948, SWTA doubles champion; Mary Cunningham 1945-1947, national junior and SWTA doubles champion

Director of Physical Education for women, University of Arizona 1951-1958

Marguerite Chesney Trophy donated to University of Arizona to honor Arizona Open women's singles champions 1958

Marguerite Chesney Scholarship and portrait donated by alumnae 1965

Charter Member, University of Arizona Sports Hall of Fame 1976; SWTA Hall of Fame 1991