Oklahoma State University Athletics
Classwork Pays Nice Dividends on the Court
June 21, 1999 | Cowgirl Tennis
April 19, 1999
Most student-athletes' priorities are their respective sports, but that is not the case with Oklahoma State women's tennis player Maria Galoustova. .
Only a sophomore, Galoustova, or "Masha" as her teammates call her, is a 4.0 student majoring in finance with a minor in Spanish, while playing the No. 1 position for the Cowgirls.
"My goal is to always strive to be the best in everything I do," Galoustova said.
That's just what she has done for the Cowgirls. After coming to OSU in the spring of 1998 as a 17-year-old from Moscow, Russia, Galoustova quickly made her presence known posting a 10-8 record in singles play.
She also displayed her talents while playing No. 1 doubles with Martina Hautova; the duo posted a 22-7 record in 1998.
Galoustova's strive for excellence did not go unnoticed by others associated with OSU's tennis program.
"Maria uses the classwork to prepare her mentally for the action on the tennis court, " head coach Julius Lubicz-Majewski said.
This dedication to coursework also serves as the topic of an occasional hard time from her teammates.
"They give me a hard time because I have a tutor for each of my classes," Galoustova said. "But that really helps me to fully understand the material and, as a result, do a better job."
It is also paying off on the court. She has posted a 11-7 record while leading the Cowgirls at the No. 1 position this season. She is also having success in doubles action teaming up with freshman Ashleigh Dolman. The duo has posted a team-high 10-5 record.
But individual success is not the most important element to Galoustova's game. She likes winning as a team more. She has helped the Cowgirls rebound from a 4-19 finish last season to a 13-6 overall record heading into the final weekend before the Big 12 Championships.
The Cowgirls will face Bedlam rival Oklahoma in their final home contest of the 1999 season at the DuBois Center, Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. Playing the Sooners really excites Galoustova.
"All season, we have kept an eye on what they have done, " she said. "They have beaten two of the teams that beat us (Texas A&M and Baylor), and we have beaten two of the teams (Nebraska and Texas Christian) that they lost to."
Even though Galoustova didn't want to predict the outcome of Wednesday's match, she did say that she likes their chances.
