Smekodub Named C-USA Athlete Of The Month
Oct 3, 2003 | Women's Tennis
Oct. 3, 2003
NEW ORLEANS, La. - - Tulane sophomore women's tennis player Julie Smekodub has been selected as the Conference USA Women's Tennis Athlete of the Month for September, the league office announced Friday.
Smekodub, a sophomore from Brooklyn, N.Y., claimed the award after becoming the first player to ever win back-to-back singles titles at the Cissie Leary Invitational, hosted by Penn. After receiving a bye in the first round, Smekodub won three matches over two days to set a showdown with Penn's 12th-ranked Alice Pirsu in the semifinals. Smekodub, ranked 23rd by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, won that match 6-2, 6-3 before posting a 6-2, 7-5 win over Harvard's 25th-ranked Courtney Bergman in the championship match.
Smekodub also teamed with Tulane freshman Darya Ivanov to claim the doubles title as well. For the weekend, Smekodub was 5-0 in singles play and 4-0 in doubles action.
Friday's award was the second monthly honor in Smekodub's short career-to-date at Tulane. Last season, she was named C-USA's Athlete of the Month for October.
