Walterboro, SC
Inducted 1999
DIANE HAS PLAYED TENNIS AT THE JUNIOR, COLLEGIATE, PROFESSIONAL AND SENIOR LEVELS, ALL WITH GREAT SUCCESS. SHE BEGAN PLAYING TENNIS IN FLORIDA AT AGE 10. SHE EARNED A TENNIS SCHOLARSHIP TO THE COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON, WHICH BROUGHT HER TO SOUTH CAROLINA. DURING COLLEGE SHE PLAYED #1 SINGLES & DOUBLES FOR FOUR YEARS AND WON THE AIAW SMALL COLLEGE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN SINGLES IN 1978, HER JUNIOR YEAR.
AFTER GRADUATION SHE PLAYED PROFESSIONAL TENNIS IN BELGIUM. WHEN SHE RETURNED TO SOUTH CAROLINA SHE TAUGHT TENNIS AT KIAWAH ISLAND UNDER ROY BARTH AND AFTER MARRYING MOVED TO WALTERBORO WHERE SHE HAD 3 CHILDREN, ALL BOYS.
DIANE REENTERED THE WORLD OF COMPETITIVE TENNIS IN THE LATE 1980’S AND HER PLAY SOON PUT SOUTH CAROLINA ADULT TENNIS ON THE MAP. DURING THE 1990’S SHE WON SEVEN NATIONAL SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIPS. AMONG THESE CHAMPIONSHIPS AND RANKS WERE:
- WON HER FIRIST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN THE WOMEN’S 30’S CLAY COURT CHAMPIONSHIPS, PLAYED AT WILD DUNES IN 1991.
- REPEATED HER SINGLES TITLE IN 1992 AND 1994 AND WAS A FINALIST IN DOUBLES IN 1992.
- DOMINATED THE WOMEN’S 40’S NATIONAL INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS, WINNING THE SINGLES TITLE IN 1997, 1998 AND 1999
- WON THE WOMEN’S 40’S NATIONAL HARD COURT CHAMPIONSHIPS IN 1998, GIVING HER TWO NATIONAL SINGLES TITLES THAT YEAR
- RANKED #1 IN THE NATION IN WOMEN’S 30’S SINGLES IN 1991 AND WOMEN’S 35’S SINGLES IN 1992.
- RANKED #3 IN THE NATION IN WOMEN’S 40’S SINGLES IN 1997 AND #2 IN 1998.
- RANKED #1 IN THE SOUTH IN WOMEN’S 40’S SINGLES IN 1998.
- RANKED IN THE TOP TEN IN THE WORLD IN THE ITF WOMEN’S 40’S SINGLES RANKINGS IN 1997 AND 1998..
SHE WAS A MEMBER OF THE USTA YOUNG CUP TEAM REPRESENTING THE UNITED STATES AND WINNING THE INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION IN 1997, 1998 AND 1999, DIANE WAS ELECTED TO ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP IN THE INTERNATIONAL LAWN TENNIS CLUB OF THE UNITED STATES IN 1998. MEMBERS OF THIS CLUB ARE INVITED TO PLAY IN THE INTERNATIONAL CLUB WEEK AT WIMBLEDON. DIANE LED THE AMERICAN TEAM TO A SECOND PLACE FINISH FOR THE CHRISTINE MERCELIS TROPHY IN 1999. SHE HAS ALSO PLAYED ON A NUMBER OF USTA SOUTHERN INTERSECTIONAL TEAMS.
BARKER HAS PLAYED ON THE USTA SOUTH CAROLINA SENIOR CUP TEAM EVERY YEAR SINCE BECOMING AGE ELIGIBLE. SHE HAS SERVED ON A NUMBER OF USTA S. C. COMMITTEES AND WAS NAMED THE USTA SOUTH CAROLINA ADULT FEMALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR IN BOTH 1992 AND 1998.
DIANE NOW LIVES IN CHARLESTON WHERE SHE CONTINUES TO TEACH TENNIS AND COMPETE AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL IN SINGLES, DOUBLES AND MOTHER/SON DOUBLES. SHE WORKS WITH SPECIAL POPULATION ATHLETES BOTH IN THE CHARLESTON AREA AND AROUND THE STATE.
