After stellar careers at Nicholls State University, seniors Dmitry Kozionov and Parija Maloo have made a big impact on the preseason and hope to continue their form once the regular season opens in January.
Kozionov, business administration major from Russia, recently won his flight in the Lamar Cardinal Classic with an undefeated record. He has also won numerous accolades throughout his time as a Colonel, ranging from Freshman of the Year by the Southland Conference and the Louisiana Sports Writers Association, All-Conference and All-Louisiana teams, and Southland Conference Player of the Week three times.
In his tenure as a Colonel, Kozionov is very grateful for his growth as a player, because according to him, rarely do players come to college and continue to improve.
“I have improved a lot since my first semester here,” Kozionov said. “Some players get to college and remain at the same level throughout their careers. But during my time here, the coaches have helped me progress.”
Maloo, general studies major from India, was ranked on the International Tennis Association preseason singles list and also won her flight at the Big Easy Classic, where she competed in the most difficult bracket.
Aside from her recent successes, Maloo was named the Nicholls State Female Athlete of the Year, All-Louisiana team and Newcomer of the Year. She also totaled a winning percentage of .857, which was the highest in the conference at the No.1 singles position and had the third highest overall winning percentage in the conference.
Maloo is very proud of her win in the latest tournament as well as her ranking by the ITA.
“It was a very good experience to win the first tournament since May because I played very well against great competition,” Maloo said. “My preseason ranking was a big thing for me because since I started my collegiate career, it was my goal to be ranked. It was one of the best achievements I could ask for.”
Head coach Meenakshi Sundaram is very impressed with the careers of his two star athletes. According to Sundaram, their accomplishments speak volumes for their ability as tennis players.
“It is not easy to win in this conference like it used to be,” Sundaram said. “With better players and coaches coming in, the overall talent has increased significantly.”
Although they are very successful on the court, these athletes bring much more to the program than wins, according to Sundaram.
“Dmitry and Parija have very different personalities, but they each bring a different dynamic to the team,” Sundaram said. “Dmitry is the heart of the whole Nicholls program. He always gets the job done, while refusing to lose; he simply does not go away in matches.
“Parija, on the other hand, has a phenomenal style of play that is very helpful to the younger girls who watch her compete,” Sundaram said. “The chances of another player of her caliber coming to Nicholls with her style of play and skill are very slim.”
Both Maloo and Kozionov are eager to start their senior campaigns, thirsty for their first taste of a conference championship.
“We have a great team this year so obviously our goal is to win conference,” Maloo said.
Kozionov is also excited to graduate but helping the younger guys on the team develop is also on the Russian’s to-do list.
“Most importantly, I’m ready to graduate and get the rest of my credits,” Kozionov said. “But I believe we can win the conference this year with how things have played out for us. Things have continued to get more and more organized, and now we are playing at a higher level than I have seen with this program. I am sure conference will be the perfect ending to my last year here.”
“I also want to help teach the younger players from my experience here as a player,” Kozionov said.