Megan Fudge

Megan Fudge is the APP Tour's all-time career medals leader, and she got there by loading her entire family into an RV and chasing tournaments across the globe. A former University of Illinois tennis player who majored in Sports Management and Communications, Fudge discovered pickleball when she started playing casually with her husband Ryler DeHeart, a former top-200 ATP-ranked tennis pro. What started as Tuesday night games quickly escalated to Thursday, then Saturday, then "wait, we should quit tennis and do this full-time." And that's exactly what they did.

Now a dominant force on the APP Tour with over 70 career medals (and counting), Fudge is known for her devastating two-handed backhand that she's adapted from her tennis days with extra topspin and modified grips. She and Ryler travel the pro circuit as a family with their two kids, all living together in an RV. Beyond domestic competition, Fudge is a global ambassador for the sport, conducting workshops and playing in tournaments across China, Vietnam, Thailand, and Germany. She's one of pickleball's most well-traveled players, and her family-first approach to the pro lifestyle has made her an inspiration to parents everywhere who've ever wondered if you can chase a dream and still make it to school pickup on time.