2011-12 Women's Tennis Roster
Biography
Senior 2011-12
- Secured 17 doubles wins, including 13 in dual action, along with eight singles victories
- Reached as high as No. 27 alongside junior Breanne Smutko in the national doubles rankings
- Earned the team's Scholar-Athlete Award
- Academic All-Big Ten.
Junior 2010-11Â
- Won 11 singles matches, including three in Big Ten play and two over nationally ranked opponents
- Collected 14 doubles victories, with 10 coming alongside teammate Breanne Smutko
- Duo reached as high as No. 55 in the national rankings
- Missed the final 10 singles matches of the season due to injury
- Academic All-Big Ten.
Sophomore 2009-10Â
- Secured her second straight 20-win season with 21 including a 7-2 mark in Big Ten play
- Played primarily at Nos. 5 and 6 singles
- Notched her first career win over a nationally ranked opponent with a two-set victory over No. 117 Nazari Urbina of Texas A&M
- Tallied a new career-best mark in doubles with 21
- Teamed up with Rachael White to go 10-5 overall
- Academic All-Big Ten honoree.
Freshman 2008-09Â
- Finished the season with a 26-19 singles record
- Played primarily at the Nos. 3 and 4 singles spots
- Posted a 5-5 mark in Big Ten matches
- Started off the year with a 13-7 record in the fall, including a quarterfinal appearance at the 2008 Wilson/ITA Midwest Regional Championship
- Opened the season ranked No. 12 in the Midwest Region
- In doubles, went 20-18 with three different partners
- Teamed with Leigh Finnegan to go 10-10 in dual play, at the Nos. 1 and 2 doubles spots, primarily at No. 1 (7-10)
- Voted by her teammates as Player to Watch.
Juniors/High School
- Played her freshman year at Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua, New York
- Helped lead her team to a conference title during that year
- During her freshman year she played No.1 singles and was named all-state, all-section, and all-Conference
- Plays the majority of her tennis at Sportime Syosset and Sportime Bethpage for over two years
- In 2006, she became the G16 Supernational Clay Court Doubles Champion and earned a No. 1 G16s National Doubles Ranking
- Placed third in singles during the G16s National Open.
Personal
- Born Chelcie Joy Abajian on July 20, 1990
- Daughter of Lorraine Abajian
- Has an older sister, Melanie, and an older brother, Glenn
- Majoring in recreation, sport and tourism
- Her biggest thrill in sports came when she won the 2006 G16 Clay Court Doubles Championship
- Favorite athlete is Ana Ivanovic because she has no fear when she steps onto the tennis court
- Says all of her coaches have influenced her athletic career the most because of their constant support and giving her the confidence to excel
- Names her mother as the most influential person in her life because she is a strong and very supportive woman
- Plans to stay in the tennis world after she graduates whether it is coaching or representing a major tennis company
The Abajian File
Favorite movie:Â The Blind Side
Favorite quote:Â "It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog."
Favorite TV shows:Â Friday Night Lights and Modern Family
Favorite sports team:Â New York Yankees
Favorite food:Â Dark chocolate
Pre-match ritual:Â Warming up with Big Al
Favorite place on campus:Â Irwin Academic Center
Favorite sport:Â Volleyball
Favorite musical artists:Â Five for Fighting, Rascal Flatts and Keith Urban
Best memory as an Illini:Â Winning our NCAA first-round match over Vanderbilt her freshman year
Favorite Disney movie:Â The Lion King
Favorite superhero:Â Batman
Statistics
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Historical Player Information