 Nancy
Pearce Jeffett
Co-rounder of the Maureen Connolly
Brinker Tennis Foundation and longtime chair of the U.S. Wightman
and Federation Cups, Nancy Pearce Jeffett (b.1928) is considered
one of the most influential women in tennis. Raised in St. Louis,
Jeffett rose to No.10 in the junior ranks before entering Washington
university. Her marriage to businessman Frank Jeffett in 1956
brought her to Dallas where she assumed a leadership role in
the tennis community while raising her two children.
In 1968 Jeffett teamed with Grand Slam
champion 'Little
Mo' Connolly to establish a
tennis foundation, for which Jeffett took full responsibility
following her friend's untimely death from cancer. Over the next
30 years Jeffett created an organization that today sponsors
a dozen major tournaments and has contributed more than $4 million
for player development - from public parks to the professional
level. Honored worldwide, Jeffett is celebrated in her hometown
with the annual presentation of the Dallas Tennis Association's
Nancy Jeffett Lifetime Achievement Award.
Career Highlights
Ranked No.10 in USTA Girls' 18
1946
USTA/Missouri Valley Singles,
Doubles and Mixed Doubles Champion 1948
Founder, Tyler (Texas) Tennis
Association 1954
Chairman, Texas Tennis Junior
Development Program 1960-1982
Co-founder, Trustee and President,
maureen Connolly Brinker (MCB) Tennis Foundation 1968 - present
Founder, MCB Outstanding Junior
Girl Award, presented by the USTA 1969 - present
Founder, MCB Girls' 14 national
championship 1972 - present
Founder, Maureen Connolly Challenge
Trophy (U.S. vs. Great Britain, ladies 19 and under) 1973 - present
Founder, Virginia Slims Tournament
of Dalls 1975-1989 (began as MCB Memorial Tournament in 1970)
Founder, ITF Connolly Continental
Cup (U.S. vs. all nations, ladies 18 and under) 1976 - present
Founder, Bonne Bell maureen Connolly
Brinker Cup (U.S. vs. Australia, ladies 14, 16, 18) 1977-1991
Founder, ITF Maureen Connolly
Cup (U.S. vs. all national, ladies 55 and over) 1992 - present
Member, USTA Executive Committee
1973-1994; Chair, Wightman Cup 1978-1990; Chair, Federation Cup
1981-1990; Member, ITF Federation Cup Committee 1988-1996
Director, International Tennis
Hall of Fame 1976 - present (Honorary Life Director)
Winner of the USTA Service Bowl
1970
Texas Tennis Association W.T.
Caswell Award 1970
'Service to Tennis' Awards; World
Championship Tennis 1983; Chuck McKinley 1993; International
Tennis Federation 1994; Virginia Slims 1996
USTA Samuel hardy Award 1992;
Dallas Tennis Association Lifetime Achievement Award 1995 (now
named in her honor)
Girls, Inc. 'She Knows Where
She's Going' Award 1999
Inducted into the Texas Tennis
Hall of Fame 1983; St. Louis Tennis Hall of Fame 1999
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