Senior Monica Milewski returns the ball on Saturday at the Millenium Harvest House. Milewski won the match 6-1, 6-2. (CU Independent/Stephanie Davis)
Senior Monica Milewski is currently tied 12th in school history for most Big 12 Conference singles victories with a 19-15 record and is tied for sixth in school history in Big 12 doubles victories with a 23-15 record. An earlier version gave her incorrect rankings and records, and the photo caption incorrectly named her opponent. We regret these errors. 1/18/10; 11:25
After missing last year’s spring season due to a wrist injury, Colorado Buffaloes tennis player Monica Milewski, a fifth-year senior, is back on the court for her final season as a Buffalo.
“This is my last chance to go out there and be the best that I can,” Milewski said.
This is a rather normal statement for any senior to make about their final season, but Milewski has already achieved so much in her college career that it seems impossible for her to improve it further.
Milewski, 23, is ranked fourth in school history with an outstanding 143 total wins in her college career.
The accounting major is currently tied for 12th in school history for most Big 12 singles victories with a record of 19-15 and is tied sixth in school history with teammate Melisa Esposito for most Big 12 doubles victories with a 23-15 record.
With these kinds of numbers, it’s easy to see why sophomore teammate and roommate Ania Anuszkiewicz says it was hard not having Milewski on the roster last spring.
“Everyone else had to step it up in order to replace her because she’s a great player,” Anuszkiewicz said. “She’s definitely a leader on this team, so it was difficult.”
CU head coach Nicole Kenneally said her team made up for the missing senior last season, so she wasn’t too put out by Milewski’s injury.
“Obviously we missed her, but everyone else did a great job,” Kenneally said. “We had great success with the team. We had great performances out of a lot of people.”
However, Anuszkiewicz and Kenneally said they will miss Milewski when she graduates for what she contributes to the team rather than just her skills.
“She contributes a lot of support to the team and especially experience,” Anuszkiewicz said. “She’s been through this so if you’re having a tough day based on tennis or academics or whatever, she’s definitely one you can go to because she’s been through it all.”
Kenneally also said she appreciates the leadership Milewski has shown on the team.
“She’s a quiet leader,” Kenneally said. “She’s not necessarily vocal with people, but all the girls look up to her. She’s kind of a role model and she doesn’t necessarily like that role sometimes, I don’t think, but everyone does look up to her.”
Although Milewski won’t be competing at CU after this spring, her days of playing tennis won’t be over.
“I will definitely play for fun after college,” Milewski said.
One final chore the team will have to face is the gap Milewski leaves behind. Anuszkiewicz said she feels like filling this gap is going to be a tough task.
“Not only is she a presence on the court, but she’s definitely a great friend and a great teammate,” Anuszkiewicz said. “It will be definitely hard to fill that spot because there are not many personalities like Monica’s.”
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Kayla Cornett at kayla.cornett@colorado.edu
