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Neenah, Wisconsin

John Whitlinger

Born Neenah, February 4, 1954; Neenah High class of 1972; four WIAA singles titles and a 109-match streak; lives in Appleton

Net worth

$1,500,000

September 1, 2026

About

John Whitlinger is the Neenah tennis standout who completed the rare NCAA triple crown at Stanford and later coached there for nearly three decades.

Born in Neenah on February 4, 1954, and a Neenah High School graduate with the class of 1972, the 5-foot-9 right-hander was the first boy to win four WIAA state singles championships and ran a 109-match winning streak for the Rockets from 1969 to 1972. He collected eleven national junior titles, including Orange Bowl crowns in 1969 and 1970, and played for the U.S. Junior Davis Cup. Father Warren had played professional basketball; nieces Teri and Tami later reached the WTA tour. The town still calls the Whitlingers the first family of tennis.

At Stanford in 1974 he won NCAA singles, doubles, and the team title in the same season—the Cardinal list him as only the fourth player to take singles and doubles together. Six years on the ATP tour brought a career-high singles ranking of No. 75 on June 2, 1975, and a Bermuda doubles title with Mike Cahill in 1976.

He stayed at Stanford as associate coach from 1987 to 2004 and head coach from 2005 to 2014, finishing 160–85 with nine NCAA tournament trips and a share of nine national-championship staffs. The ITA Collegiate Hall of Fame inducted him in 1999. He later settled in Appleton; the 109–0 streak remains the Neenah chapter, and the triple crown the rest.

Notable facts

  • Born in Neenah on February 4, 1954; Neenah High class of 1972; first boy to win four WIAA state singles titles, with a 109-match winning streak for the Rockets from 1969 to 1972.

  • In 1974 at Stanford he won NCAA singles, doubles, and the team title in the same season—only the fourth Cardinal to take singles and doubles together.

  • Reached a career-high ATP singles ranking of No. 75 on June 2, 1975; Bermuda doubles champion with Mike Cahill in 1976; Stanford head coach 2005–2014 after associate coaching from 1987.

What questions can this profile answer

What makes John Whitlinger notable?
John Whitlinger is the Neenah tennis standout who completed the rare NCAA triple crown at Stanford and later coached there for nearly three decades. Born in Neenah on February 4, 1954, and a Neenah High School graduate with the class of 1972, the 5-foot-9 right-hander was the first boy to win four WIAA state singles…
What is John Whitlinger's estimated net worth?
John Whitlinger's estimated net worth is $1,500,000 as of 2026-09-01.

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