Kelly Schmandt

In a community noted for producing top tennis talent, Kelly Schmandt was “the player” when she played at San Marcos High from 1996-2000.

Schmandt was named MVP all four years for the Royals and was a three-time Channel League champion in singles. She was twice honored as the Round Table High School Tennis Player of the Year and was named San Marcos’ Scholar-Athlete of the Year for 1999-2000.

Her academic and athletic prowess helped her earn her a scholarship to Vanderbilt University, where she played four years and helped the Commodores reach their first NCAA Final in 2000, advance to the semifinals in 2004 and earn a No. 2 national ranking at the end of the year.

Her honors on the court for Vandy include: three-time First Team All-Southeastern Conference in doubles, All-American in doubles in 2004, No. 2 NCAA ranking in doubles (2004), ranked in top 50 in singles (2004), NCAA doubles semifinalist (2004) All-American Tournament doubles champion (2003) and a member of the SEC Good Works Team in 2004.

She owns three Vanderbilt records: best singles win percentage for a career (82 percent), singles win percentage for a year (85 percent in 2003) and most doubles wins in a season (32 in 2004).

A highlight in her tennis career came as a freshman at Vanderbilt. She won the clinching match in the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament to help the Commodores reach their first NCAA Final in any sport.

Another great moment was winning the All-American tournament with her doubles partner, great friend, and fellow senior Aleke Tsoubanos.

In a brief pro career, Schmandt won three Challenger-level doubles titles.

She returned to Santa Barbara and worked as an assistant coach with the Santa Barbara High boys’ and girls’ tennis teams and with the UCSB women’s team.

Schmandt has a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Policy from Vanderbilt and a master’s degree in Environmental Science and Management from UCSB’s Bren School.

She is the Environmental Director for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.

Kelly and her husband, Scott Ferguson, live in Santa Barbara.

She joins her older sister, Cindy Schmandt Scannella, in the Hall of Fame.