2017 Inaugural Hall of Fame Inductees
The inaugural class of inductees into the Saint Mary's Athletics Hall of Fame includes beloved former chair of the physical education department, coach, teacher, and dean of students Mary Lou Jones and her undefeated college tennis teams of 1975-1976 (18-0) and 1976-1977 (16-0). These teams boasted a 34-0 combined record over the two years, including fall and spring seasons each year, in intercollegiate competition with all colleges and universities in North Carolina and beyond, including teams from each of the ACC's Big Four universities – Duke, N.C. State, UNC-Chapel Hill, and Wake Forest.
April 7, 2017
Mary Lou Jones
Former Physical Education Department Chair, Coach, Professor, and Dean of Students
Lou Jones, North Carolina Tennis Association Hall of Famer, recorded more than 330 wins as head coach of Saint Mary's college and high school tennis teams from the 1960s into the 1990s, including 12 undefeated seasons, the 1980 NCISAA high school state championship, six consecutive North Carolina Women's Colleges State Tournament championships, and numerous conference, region, and district championships. Jones held her legendary tennis camp at Saint Mary's for 25 years.
1975-1976 College Tennis Team (18-0)
1976-1977 College Tennis Team (16-0)
These teams boasted a 34-0 combined record over the two years, including fall and spring seasons each year, in intercollegiate competition with all colleges and universities in North Carolina and beyond, including teams from each of the ACC's Big Four universities – Duke, N.C. State, UNC-Chapel Hill, and Wake Forest.
1975-1976 Undefeated College Tennis Team
Emily Bass Baumgartner ’75HS ’77C
Anna Neal Blanchard ’76HS
Marty Marshall DeVine ’76HS ’78C
Hunter Dortch ’76HS, honored posthumously
Margaret Scott Freeman ’77HS
Mabel Geoghegan Pace ’76HS
Beth Taylor Russell ’77HS
Mary Virginia Swain ’77C
Terri Kirk Wesel ’77HS
Kim Davis Winslow ’76HS
Lore White Fariss ’76HS, manager
Mary Lou Jones, coach
1976-1977 Undefeated College Tennis Team
Mary “Rowdy” Fanjoy Armistead ’78HS
Emily Bass Baumgartner ’75HS ’77C
Marty Marshall DeVine ’76HS ’78C
Allison Hines Ficken ’78HS
Mary Fondren ’78C
Margaret Scott Freeman ’77HS
Meredith Reid Graves ’77C
Amy Lipsitz ’78HS
Kathy Sawyer Mann ’78HS ’80C
Martha Boisseau Mattheisen ’78C
Lanier Brown May ’78HS ’80C
Mary Virginia Swain ’77C
Terri Kirk Wesel ’77HS
Prince Dixon Witt ’78HS
Tori Bradsher ’75HS ’77C, manager
Mary Foy Ragsdale ’77HS ’79C, manager
Mary Lou Jones, coach
2017 Hall of Fame Inductions
Hall of Fame in the News
News of Saint Mary's inaugural Athletics Hall of Fame inductions on Friday, April 7, 2017, made it in the News & Observer on March 31. The first class of Hall of Fame inductees includes longtime tennis coach Mary Lou Jones, the undefeated 1975-1976 college tennis team; and the undefeated 1976-1977 college tennis team. Read all about it here!