Julie Smekodub - October 2002 Athlete of the Month
Tennis, Tulane University
Smekodub, the star tennis player for Tulane University, was named the Sugar Bowl Athlete of the Month for October of 2002. A freshman from Brooklyn, N.Y., Smekodub won the Sugar Bowl's accolade after cruising to the singles and doubles titles at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's Southwest Regional last month.
Smekodub finished October with an impressive 8-1 record in singles and a 6-0 mark in doubles play. Entering the Southwest Regional as the No. 1 seed in singles, Smekodub dropped just two sets in seven matches during her march to the championship. In doubles, she teamed with fellow Tulane freshman Jenny Kuhn to win the regional title as the pair upset the No. 7, No. 3, No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in their final four matches.
By winning both titles at the ITA Southwest Regional, Smekodub earned a spot in the singles and doubles draws at November's ITA National Indoor Championships. She reached the quarterfinals of the singles draw, but teamed with Kuhn to win the doubles title. It marked the first individual national championship for a Tulane athlete since 1955.
