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Western Illinois University Athletics

Athlete Awards

Scholar Athlete of the Month

Maria Bessmertnaya

  • Award
    Scholar Athlete of the Month
  • Week Of
    10/3/2016
  • Sport
    Women's Tennis
  • Bio
    View Full Bio
Women's tennis player Maria Bessmertnaya has been selected as this week's WIU Hampton Inn Scholar Athlete of the Week on Oct. 3.

Over the weekend, Bessmertnaya helped Western to two 7-0 victories over Knox College and Judson University. Against Knox, Bessmertnaya teamed up with Nicole Jones for a 6-1 victory in No. 3 doubles. In No. 4 singles, Bessmertnaya beat her opponent 6-1, 6-0.

Against Judson, she and Jones won 8-3 in No. 3 doubles. In singles play, she picked up a 6-0, 6-0 sweep.

The Pyatigorsk, Russia, native boasts a 4.0 GPA and is majoring in pre-business and accounting. Bessmertnaya and the rest of the women's tennis team will be back in action on Oct. 7-8 at the Warhawk Invitational.


Athlete Awards
Date Athlete Sport
3/6/2017 Brandon Gilbeck Men's Basketball
2/27/2017 Taylor Higginbotham Women's Basketball
2/20/2017 Marissa Purdum Women's Swimming and Diving
2/14/2017 Holly Hoelting Softball
2/6/2017 Josh Kirby Men's Track and Field
1/30/2017 Mike Miklusak Men's Basketball
1/24/2017 Brad Walls Men's Track and Field
12/12/2016 Jasmine Brown Women's Track and Field
12/6/2016 Kyle Siebert Men's Swimming and Diving
11/29/2016 Emily Clemens Women's Basketball
11/14/2016 Erica Hagen Women's Swimming and Diving
11/7/2016 Kaili Simmons Women's Volleyball
11/1/2016 Brett Taylor Football
10/24/2016 Anna Cullinan Women's Golf
10/17/2016 Ashley Kuhlmann Women's Soccer
10/11/2016 Jacob Bjornsen Men's Soccer
10/3/2016 Maria Bessmertnaya Women's Tennis
9/28/2016 Riggs Baxter Football
9/19/2016 Lexi Kolschefski Women's Volleyball
9/14/2016 Fernando Pacheco Men's Soccer
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