SEPTEMBER 9, 2008
IOWA CITY, IA — The Iowa women’s tennis team will be joined on the court this season by new assistant coach Mira Radu. Radu will be joining Head Coach Daryl Greenan as he begins his fifth season with the Hawkeyes. Iowa tied for sixth in the Big Ten last season and posted an overall record of 13-10.
“Mira brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Hawkeye program,” said Greenan. “She was ranked top 10 NCAA D-I and a two time All-American in college. She was also top 250 professionally in the WTA. We are fortunate that she has chosen to make Iowa home and I am sure she is going to help our athletes maximize their abilities.”
Radu, a native of Romania, brings both professional and collegiate experience to Iowa. Claiming the Romania National and International Championship in 1994, Radu continued to excel, winning major championships every year before accepting a full scholarship to the University of Mississippi in 1999. Radu capped off her freshman year as a Rebel finishing as a singles finalist in the ITA South Regional Championships.
Radu only gained momentum through her collegiate career. In 2001, as a sophomore, she was a NCAA Leadership Conference nominee and was named the Allstate Student Athlete of the Week. The awards only accumulated for Radu in her junior and senior years at Mississippi. A two time All-American and Academic All-American, Radu was named the NCAA Women of the Year for the State of Mississippi in 2003, in addition to receiving the Eugenia Connor Award for Outstanding Female Athlete and the Cissie Leary Sportsmanship Award South Region. In her senior year at Mississippi, Radu was a semifinalist in the singles competition of the NCAA National Championships and was named to the All-SEC Second Team.
“Mira’s credentials speak for themselves,” said Greenan. “It was her work ethic and passion for the sport that impressed me the most. She will be an excellent role model for our players.”