Dec. 7, 2005

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Women's tennis head coach Charlotte Peterson was inducted to the Memphis Amateur Sports Hall of Fame, Monday. Peterson was honored at the 36th Sports Hall of Fame Banquet, as one of two tennis inductees. The late Joy Wepfer was also inducted in the tennis category. The banquet honors men and women who have played a major role in sports in Memphis, helping to call public attention to its value in the field of recreation and competition.

A doubles specialist during her playing career at then-Memphis State, Peterson is one of just two women's coaches to pass the 300-career win mark. A graduate of Kingsbury High School in Memphis, Peterson received her degree in biology in 1972 and her master's degree in physical education in 1974. She served as an assistant coach for the Lady Tigers, then took over her alma mater's women's tennis team as one of just head coaches in Lady Tiger history. Since 1998, she has coached 10 All-Conference USA honorees, including four-time all-conference honoree Christina Ladyman, a recent M-Club Hall of Fame inductee, and three-time, all-conference honorees Marlene Dirnstorfer and Sabrina Lindemann.

As a player, Peterson won the Memphis City Senior Women's 35 singles title and was runner-up in the Women's 35 singles at the Mississippi Valley Seniors Tournament. She has been ranked in the state in singles and the Southern States Region.

Since 1983, she has directed the local NTRP tennis tournaments, as well as hosting the Lady Tiger Bass Fishing Tournament each spring, which benefits the Lady Tiger tennis program.

She also continues to teach tennis to community members, offering tennis clinics for seniors last spring and working with Tennis Memphis in its free tennis clinics this past fall.