June 30, 2009
COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina women’s tennis players Miljana Jocic and Natasa Vuckovic will represent Serbia at the World University Games in Belgrade, Serbia, over July 1-12. The tennis portion of the games, which includes singles, doubles and mixed doubles, begins July 3 and concludes July 11.
The World University Games are held once every two years and 2009 represents the 25th edition of the event. Similar to the Olympics in structure and nature, the games feature student-athletes from across the world. To be eligible, a participant must: be a national of the country he/she represents, be at least 17 and less than 28 years of age on Jan. 1 in the year of the event, and be officially registered as proceeding toward a degree or diploma at a university or similar institution whose status is recognized by the appropriate national academic authority of his/her country. Student-athletes who earn their academic degree in the year preceding the event are also eligible to compete.
“We have two team members in the prestigious World University Games, and it’s an honor for them to represent not only Serbia but the University of South Carolina as well,” Gamecock head coach Arlo Elkins said. “We’ll all be watching their results closely once the games get underway.”
Jocic, who will enter this fall as a junior for the Gamecocks, has been a starter for South Carolina during her two seasons with the team. She posted a 20-8 record in singles as a freshman before her season was cut short due to injury. This past year, Jocic helped the Gamecocks make a trip to the NCAA quarterfinals playing at No. 5 singles and No. 2 doubles. She and partner Gira Schofield went undefeated in the NCAA Tournament at two doubles and compiled an overall record of 17-4 together. The duo earned a No. 72 national ranking in the final Intercollegiate Tennis Association poll. For the entire season, Jocic went 22-13 in doubles and 16-16 in singles.
Vuckovic completed her four years of eligibility for the Gamecocks in May and will return this fall to finish her degree in international studies. She spent her final season at South Carolina playing No. 3 singles and No. 1 doubles with partner Ana Marija Zubori. Vuckovic is one of just four players in the history of Gamecock tennis to receive All-SEC honors three times during her career, doing so as a member of the second team from 2006 to 2008. She completed her career with a 96-45 mark in singles to rank fourth all-time in singles victories, her 77-63 doubles record gives her the fifth most wins and her 173-108 combined record stands fourth.
