Jane Preyer’s long and successful career was rooted in tennis glory and expanded into a dedication to volunteerism and environmental protection.
From winning two North Carolina junior state junior championships, to a collegiate All-American, to No. 43 world ranking, to an award-winning college coach and trail-blazing environmental career, Preyer has made her mark in many endeavors.
When she was a child, she was taught tennis by her mother, Emily. Later they were ranked No. 2 in the USTA mother/daughter rankings. In the early 1970s she won the North Carolina State Championships in Girls’ 18s singles and doubles and posted top-3 finishes in two national doubles tournaments.
Preyer’s longtime connection to the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill began in 1973. She was an All-American and team captain in 1975-1976. She also earned a B.A. in English and a M.P.A. from the university.
From 1978-83 she played on the WTA Tour and rose to No. 43 in the world. She played twice at the US Open and Wimbledon, where she reached the round of 16. She also competed at the French Open and Australian Open. She had wins over four top players from other countries who achieved top-5 rankings in the world: Evonne Goolagong, Manuela Maleeva, Sue Barker and Betty Stove. She extended Billie Jean King to three sets at the Australian Open and competed for three sets against Chris Evert in US Open doubles.
When an elbow injury ended her pro career, she returned home to Greensboro, N.C., where she volunteered to coach Page High School, which won a state championship. She also served as a volunteer coach for UNC-Greensboro.
In 1985, she accepted the challenge to turn around a struggling Duke women’s team. Within two years, that team became, and remains today, a national powerhouse. In her six-year tenure, Duke won four ACC championships, and she was named ACC Coach of the Year four times (1988-89, 1990-91). Her record was 120-45 for a 72.7 winning percentage.
In 1990, she was awarded the prestigious Community Service Award by the Intercollegiate Tennis Coaches Association and the USTA. The award honors coaches who have “contributed to community tennis development through volunteer and municipal programs.” Tennis greats Arthur Ashe and Stan Smith presented her with the award in a ceremony at the US Open in New York.
The North Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame inducted her in 1991.
Preyer is the former director of the Southeast office of Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). In that role, she was senior adviser for policy and political strategy on a broad range of issues and on fundraising. Her leadership helped pass some of the most effective environmental policies in North Carolina, including laws to reduce pollution from coal plants, address climate change impacts, reduce pollution in watersheds, and increased use of renewable energy and efficiency measures. She also managed EDF’s initiative with national companies to increase the use of environmentally preferable paper.
Currently, she serves on the boards of the National Health Law Program (NHeLP), Earthshare N.C., and NC Environmental Defense Fund. Former board service includes North Carolina Center for Nonprofits, Children’s Home Society of North Carolina and UNC-Chapel Hill Institute for the Humanities.
In 2005, in honor of her mother, she and her siblings established the Emily Preyer Family Endowment at the North Carolina Tennis Foundation which assists kids with limited family incomes to attend college.
Preyer was nominated by USTA Southern Junior Competition Chair Debbie Southern. She extolled Preyer’s sportsmanship, writing, “Jane Preyer is the epitome of sportsmanship and character. Jane was my role model growing up in NC tennis. … I was always impressed with her talents and skills as a tennis player but also her sportsmanship and character. Jane never put winning over integrity. Other players on the pro tour felt the same way about Jane. I can attest to the sportsmanship and character Jane instilled in her Duke teams as I coached against her during her career. Jane’s teams always fought hard and played with integrity and respect for their opponents. Jane instilled character and sportsmanship in all her young players!”
Highlights
- Achieved a No. 43 world ranking
- Played six years on WTA Tour, with two appearances at the US Open and Wimbledon
- Defeated Evonne Goolagong, Manuela Maleeva, Sue Barker and Betty Stove
- Inducted into the North Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame in 1991.
- Her teams at Duke won four ACC Championships
- Named ACC Coach of the Year four times in 1988-89, 1990-91
- Awarded the Community Service Award by the Intercollegiate Tennis Coaches Association and USTA