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“Pioneer” Price Played for Love of Game 3/21/2004 By Andrew Derr Over the last decade, under the guidance of Coach Geoff Macdonald, Vanderbilt women’s tennis teams have achieved unparalleled success both on and off the court. The program has produced four All-Americans, as well as a host of SEC and Academic All-Americans. But before Sarah Riske and Aleke Tsoubanos, before Julie Ditty and Kate Burson, and even before Elizabeth Moorman of the early 1980s, there was a woman who defined Vanderbilt women’s tennis before there even was a “Vanderbilt women’s tennis.” Her name was Ann Hutcheson Price, and in a word, she was a pioneer. A local product of Nashville, Price came to Vanderbilt in 1968. It was the pre-Title IX era, and Price played before the days of full ride scholarships and pro contracts. In fact, Price swung her racket before Vanderbilt even played as an official Southeastern Conference team. She played for the love of the game, and behind a monster serve and an overpowering forehand, Price just flattened the competition. From 1969 to 1971, Price won three straight Tennessee Intercollegiate women’s singles titles. Teamed with doubles partner Nancy (Bargo) Anthony, Price also won three doubles titles during that span. Ranked in the top 10 in the South, Price advanced to the national quarterfinals in 1970 and 1971, as well. “It was a challenge just to get funding,” Price admitted recently when asked about the National tournament that took place in Las Cruces, NM in those days. “We had to ask for the money to go, and I went in to talk with (Business Manager) Pete Naylor. We got money for two people and the coach. “We were able to represent Vanderbilt at a national level, and we were models of decorum,” she added with a smile. “We represented Vanderbilt well.” While her skills were unquestioned on the court, Price displayed talents in the classroom, as well. Representing the true Vanderbilt student-athlete, Price graduated magna cum laude — in just three years — from Vanderbilt in 1971, and returned in the mid 1970s for medical school. A Founder’s Medalist in 1978, she completed her residency in Internal Medicine at Vanderbilt, and then a chief residency at St. Thomas Hospital in the early 1980s. She has been “Doctor” Price ever since. These days, Price is a Vice Chancellor of Health Affairs here at Vanderbilt and currently serves as the Executive Director of Medical Alumni Affairs. She carries with her only the fondest memories of her days as a Commodore student-athlete. “It was such a great balance, getting to play something you love while going to school,” Price said. “The teachers were remarkably kind to us as athletes, but never did they expect less from us. The accommodations they made were for our schedule, never for quality or quantity of work.” Coach Macdonald has shaped and guided his share of highly successful student-athletes over the past ten years here at Vanderbilt, but his praise for Dr. Price is at a different level. “Ann Price was a pretty remarkable woman. When she played, it was pre-Title IX, in an environment that almost didn’t care about women’s sports,” Macdonald said. “There was a strength of character to Ann. She stuck with it, stayed with something she loved.” When asked if he considered Price a pioneer for his program, Vanderbilt’s current coach did not hesitate. “Absolutely. We accept the barriers that have fallen, but it wasn’t too long ago when there was no women’s Olympic marathon, for example,” Macdonald pointed out. “Even medicine was male-dominated. There were generations of women who never had the chances today’s girls do. “As a women’s coach, I think about it a lot. Sometimes it’s about more than winning.” For Price, being labeled a pioneer is merely a courtesy of history. “At the time you are playing, you don’t look at it like that,” the ever-modest Price said. “Now, looking back at it, our team’s success was instrumental in getting Vanderbilt women’s tennis credibility and recognition. If that’s what a pioneer is, then I guess we were.” Price admits that Title IX changed the landscape of women’s intercollegiate athletics, and not entirely for the better. “It’s so different now. When I played Junior Tennis, we were just having a good time,” Price said, when asked about the effect of Title IX. “Now, in Juniors, you play all year round, and it’s all about college scholarships. Even a few are looking at playing professionally. “But what I see now is a lot more injuries — there’s so much pressure to play well, people will push themselves too hard. It’s much more stressful,” Price added. Paying a compliment to Macdonald, Price acknowledges that Vanderbilt seems to have avoided this pressure. “There are still women out there who just love to play. Thankfully, I see the young women at Vanderbilt, and they just seem to be happy,” Price said when asked about the current Commodores. “That’s a great thing. These are young women with high aspirations academically and athletically, and they are going to be successful people. Geoff helps them reach that.” This compliment is not lost on Macdonald, and he understands the importance of making sure his current players acknowledge and appreciate the not-so-distant past. “For today’s girls, it’s inspirational for me to say, ‘it’s hard for me, but it must have been really hard back then.’ To do it simply because you love it and want to be better, like Ann Price, that’s a remarkable story,” Macdonald concluded. Indeed, a remarkable story, one whose final chapter has probably not been written. These days, Price has been unable to compete due to a recent injury. As she nears her 54th birthday in May, though, Price is as anxious as ever. “It’s been just killing me not to be able to play,” she admits. “But, hopefully, I’ll be back out there real soon.” Based on Price’s history of desire and success, Vanderbilt and Nashville tennis fans should all but count on it. |
