Kyle Copeland-Muse

A graduate of picturesque Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, Kyle Copeland-Muse enjoyed a successful career on the women’s professional tennis circuit. Prior to that, she was a pioneer during tough freshman and sophomore years at Louisiana State University where she was the first ever tennis athlete (male or female) to racially integrate the SEC in 1978. Happier with the move to sunny Southern California, Kyle captained the 12th ranked women’s team in the nation and was nominated All-American for both her junior and senior years. With a Broadcast Journalism degree in hand, Kyle turned professional after graduation, competed in singles and doubles at all four grand slams, reached a world doubles ranking of #38 and won numerous WTA doubles titles with partner Lori McNeil before retiring in 1990.

Tennis opened doors to many other unexpected arenas, including pro football, where she became Director of Community Relations for the NFL’s Knights of the World League, the global development league of professional football. After the fledgling league folded, she wanted to give back and became the Assistant Director of One to One New York, a catalytic youth mentoring organization. After realizing that she missed tennis, she then accepted a Division 1 coaching position at St. John’s University in NY. Kyle transformed the winless women’s squad into a winning one in just two years. Now retired from coaching, Kyle still finds time to mentor young athletes through her work with Athletes Helping Athletes based on Long Island. Nowadays, Kyle is now realizing a second passion and now heads her own interior decor firm, Interior Muse.

Most recently, Kyle was featured in a CBS Sports Network Documentary entitled “Althea & Arthur,” about the enduring legacy of legendary tennis players Althea Gibson and Arthur Ashe which aired during Black History Month. Also in the works is a podcast with fellow tennis player Leslie Allen where they will discuss their lives and experiences on the women’s tennis tour.
Currently she resides in Morristown, NJ with her husband Eric and very large German Shepherd Ryder The Wonderdog.