Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Nicholls State University Athletics, in conjunction with the Southland Conference, announced on March 14 all remaining competitions and championships for the 2020 season would be canceled.
Women's tennis, men's tennis, baseball, softball, outdoor track, and beach volleyball all had their seasons cut short and with that, several seniors did not have the opportunity to finish their athletic careers as Colonels.
Nicholls will honor the seniors who have decided to end their athletic tenures for the Red and Gray.
Mariia Kozachok
Sport: Women's Tennis
Hometown: Dnipro, Ukraine
Major: Accounting
Graduation Date: May 2020
Kozachok came to Nicholls in the fall of 2016. She totaled a combined 40 victories in spring competition, with 24 in singles and 16 in doubles. Her best season came as a sophomore where she played at No. 3 singles and finished with a 12-8 record, with four victories coming in Southland play. She also won nine matches in doubles, playing primarily at the No. 2 line. while also going 9-11 in doubles. Kozachok won eight singles matches as a freshman, helped by an impressive seven-match streak.
Q&A
What are your plans after graduation?
Go back to Ukraine.
How did you initially feel when your season was canceled, and how do you feel about it now?
I have been here for four years and this was the worst ending of my journey.
What made you decide to come to Nicholls?
A scholarship and Coach Meenakshi Sundaram.
What is one of your favorite memories during your time as a Colonel?
Clinched three out of three matches. One of them, against Stephen F. Austin, was my best match.
What will you miss most about playing tennis at Nicholls?
Playing with Stephanie Barnett (grandma), Marina Vigil (doubie), Lingfeng Gu (roomie), Anastasia Kuzevanova (sharik), Mikaela Konstantinova (twinie), Simona Maksimovic (blonda), Laura Lopez (churri), and Changwei Wei (Chang-Chang).
Any funny story/moment you'd like to share?
Against Central Arkansas in 2018, I won my match and I didn't know that I clinched.
What was your favorite class at Nicholls?
Law classes with Gene Gouaux.
Where was your favorite place to eat?
Salad Station.
If you could go back and give yourself advice before you started college, what would you tell yourself?
Nothing. I don't want to change sometimes. Everything was good.
Is there anyone you'd like to thank? (teammate/coach/family/teacher, etc.)
Thanks to all teachers who taught me a lot of new, interesting and useful material.
Thank you, Ling Gu, for being with me for four years, for your support, I wouldn't survive my senior year without you.
Thanks to every teammate for always being positive even during failures.
Thank you, Carol Naquin, for being my American mom during these four years, for your support and help in everything.
Thank you, Trey Greco, for being my American dad and always support me even when I was wrong. I wouldn't survive during the quarantine without you and your support.
Thank you, Dr. Patel and your company, for playing tennis with me during the quarantine.
Thank you, Tommy Meyer, for keeping me healthy during the last two years.
Thank you, Frank Russo, for being the best assistant coach. My sophomore year would not be successful without you.
Thank you, coach Meenakshi Sundaram, for recruiting me and giving me chance to improve my tennis and get my bachelor's degree at Nicholls. Unfortunately, you were not my coach but I will never forget and will always appreciate that you believed in me.
STAY SOCIAL
For more information on Colonels Women's Tennis, follow the team on Twitter (@Nicholls_WTEN).
