The University of Mississippi Athletics
Women's Tennis Player Named To Academic All-America Team
6/16/2000 | Women's Tennis
June 16, 2000
OXFORD, Miss. -- Irena Mihailova, a four-year letterwinner on the Ole Miss women's tennis team, was named to the GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-America Spring Women's At-Large Team in an announcement Friday by the College Sports Information Director's of America.
Mihailova, a native of Skopje, Macedonia, is one of 15 student-athletes from across the country to make the first team and the first Ole Miss women's tennis player to be named to one of the Academic All-America national teams.
"Irena has distinguished herself by performing with excellence both in the classroom and on the court in her four years at Ole Miss," head coach Jerry Montgomery said. "But, the thing that will always be the most special about Irena is the kind of person she is. Her character, commitment and unselfishness are traits that will make her an Ole Miss student-athlete who is long remembered and highly-respected."
"It is exciting when our student-athletes are recognized nationally for their performance in the classroom," Ole Miss Athletic Director John Shafer said. "We congratulate Irena for earning the GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-America award, which has long been recognized as one of the top academic honors in intercollegiate athletics."
Mihailova graduated this year with a degree in Accounting and boasted an incredible 3.91 grade point average. She was a finalist for the SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year award and received a $5,000 Postgraduate Scholarship. In addition, Mihailova received the Taylor Medal (highest academic honor at the University) for the School of Accounting.
A finalist for the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, Mihailova will begin work later this summer for an accounting firm in Cleveland, Ohio.
On the court, Mihailova will be remembered best for teaming with her sister Ivona to defeat Florida' No. 3 doubles team to clinch the 1999 SEC Tournament Championship for the Lady Rebels. During her career, the Lady Rebels advanced to postseason play all four years, reaching the NCAA quarterfinals twice.
