Junior Anastasia Rentouli was awarded both ITA Southern Regional Sportsmanship Awards on Monday.
Photo by: Trevor Birchett/MSU Athletics
MSU’s Rentouli Sweeps ITA Southern Region Sportsmanship Awards
May 21, 2018 | Women's Tennis
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State women's tennis junior Anastasia Rentouli earned both 2018 Intercollegiate Tennis Association sportsmanship awards for the Southern Region, the ITA announced Monday.
The Athens, Greece, product received both the Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship Award as well as the Cissy Leary Sportsmanship Award in the ITA's Southern Region, which includes all Division I schools in the states of Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana.
The Arthur Ashe award is annually presented to those tennis student-athletes which exhibit outstanding on-court results, scholastic and extracurricular achievements, sportsmanship, leadership and character, and humanitarian concern.
The Cissy Leary award is presented to a player that has demonstrated extraordinary commitment and unwavering dedication to her team with exceptional hard work, courage, sportsmanship and a positive, cooperative attitude that makes people around them play better. In addition, scholastic, extracurricular achievements and playing accomplishments are factors.
Rentouli, who helped lead MSU's women's squad to a program record fourth consecutive NCAA appearance in 2018, has easily exemplified all of the qualities required for both awards.
Rentouli was one of 14 members of the 2018 SEC Community Service Team for women's tennis. She has made a huge impact on the MSU campus and Starkville community since joining the squad in the fall of 2015. The junior has attended monthly M-Club meetings, while serving as a liaison from her team to athletic administration with SAAC. In the fall, Rentouli participated in the SEC Career Tour.
In the Starkville community, Rentouli volunteered her time at local schools for "Read Across America" and "JA of Starkville Reading Railroad". She also volunteered for both "National Girls and Women In Sports Day" activities. In addition, she gave her time at the Dawg Walk for Breast Cancer Awareness and the TK Martin Fun Run where she encouraged participants along the route.
In her hometown of Athens, Rentouli volunteered at the Mosaico House during Christmas break, a refugee camp where she entertained kids with various activities, aided in Christmas workshops, and helped with the children's' homework.
On the court, Rentouli was equally impressive this season, picking up her first career All-SEC honor after compiling team-leading 22-7 overall and 14-4 dual match (7-2 SEC) singles records, mainly competing at the No. 4 position.
After the Bulldogs dropped their first two conference matches of the spring, they won a program-record five-straight SEC contests and Rentouli was a huge part of the reason. She claimed five-consecutive, three-set, match-clinching wins in all five of those victories, with three of the wins coming after being a set down. To start the streak, the Athens, Greece, native clinched MSU's win against No. 2-ranked and eventual SEC Champion Vanderbilt, which was the highest ranked win in both MSU men's and women's tennis history.
Rentouli was 13-10 in doubles with partner Sara Lizariturry this spring and the duo contributed to 11 of MSU's 15 doubles points this season.
"Ana has absolutely thrived since joining the Mississippi State Bulldog Family," head coach Daryl Greenan said. "She has been successful in every aspect as a student-athlete and a maturing young woman. Her dedication and positive approach have been a major asset to both herself and our team since arriving on campus from Greece. She has been a team player from the start and has played an increasingly important role in in our success. Ana displays strong leadership abilities and I am confident she will embrace the team captain role as a senior next season."
The ITA national award winners in each category will be announced this week.
For more information on the Mississippi State men's tennis program, follow "HailStateMT" on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
The Athens, Greece, product received both the Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship Award as well as the Cissy Leary Sportsmanship Award in the ITA's Southern Region, which includes all Division I schools in the states of Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana.
The Arthur Ashe award is annually presented to those tennis student-athletes which exhibit outstanding on-court results, scholastic and extracurricular achievements, sportsmanship, leadership and character, and humanitarian concern.
The Cissy Leary award is presented to a player that has demonstrated extraordinary commitment and unwavering dedication to her team with exceptional hard work, courage, sportsmanship and a positive, cooperative attitude that makes people around them play better. In addition, scholastic, extracurricular achievements and playing accomplishments are factors.
Rentouli, who helped lead MSU's women's squad to a program record fourth consecutive NCAA appearance in 2018, has easily exemplified all of the qualities required for both awards.
Rentouli was one of 14 members of the 2018 SEC Community Service Team for women's tennis. She has made a huge impact on the MSU campus and Starkville community since joining the squad in the fall of 2015. The junior has attended monthly M-Club meetings, while serving as a liaison from her team to athletic administration with SAAC. In the fall, Rentouli participated in the SEC Career Tour.
In the Starkville community, Rentouli volunteered her time at local schools for "Read Across America" and "JA of Starkville Reading Railroad". She also volunteered for both "National Girls and Women In Sports Day" activities. In addition, she gave her time at the Dawg Walk for Breast Cancer Awareness and the TK Martin Fun Run where she encouraged participants along the route.
In her hometown of Athens, Rentouli volunteered at the Mosaico House during Christmas break, a refugee camp where she entertained kids with various activities, aided in Christmas workshops, and helped with the children's' homework.
On the court, Rentouli was equally impressive this season, picking up her first career All-SEC honor after compiling team-leading 22-7 overall and 14-4 dual match (7-2 SEC) singles records, mainly competing at the No. 4 position.
After the Bulldogs dropped their first two conference matches of the spring, they won a program-record five-straight SEC contests and Rentouli was a huge part of the reason. She claimed five-consecutive, three-set, match-clinching wins in all five of those victories, with three of the wins coming after being a set down. To start the streak, the Athens, Greece, native clinched MSU's win against No. 2-ranked and eventual SEC Champion Vanderbilt, which was the highest ranked win in both MSU men's and women's tennis history.
Rentouli was 13-10 in doubles with partner Sara Lizariturry this spring and the duo contributed to 11 of MSU's 15 doubles points this season.
"Ana has absolutely thrived since joining the Mississippi State Bulldog Family," head coach Daryl Greenan said. "She has been successful in every aspect as a student-athlete and a maturing young woman. Her dedication and positive approach have been a major asset to both herself and our team since arriving on campus from Greece. She has been a team player from the start and has played an increasingly important role in in our success. Ana displays strong leadership abilities and I am confident she will embrace the team captain role as a senior next season."
The ITA national award winners in each category will be announced this week.
For more information on the Mississippi State men's tennis program, follow "HailStateMT" on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
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