Gabi Ioannou
It all started when…
Our 2018 graduate, Gabriella (Gabi) IOANNOU is pictured here signing her US College scholarship agreement to attend St Mary’s Universityin San Antonio Texas, as a student-athlete in their NCAA Women’s Tennis program. In August 2019 Gabi is due to move in to student accommodation on campus at St Mary’s University and begin her university studies. Our former MSA student-athlete, Rani Goodland (see seperate story) graduated this year from St Mary’s with a Bachelor of Business - Marketing degree after an outstanding career in the Tennis program. Rani has told Gabi that St Mary’s is great!
Gabi was selected into Year 8 at Maribyrnong Sports Academy as a student-athlete in Tennis, starting in 2014. Gabi graduated in December 2018 with very good VCE results, as required for NCAA scholarships in USA
Throughout all five years at Maribyrnong Sports Academy Gabi maintained her strong academic commitment while competing in high-level tennis tournaments.
During Year 10 in 2016 Gabi travelled to the prestigious IMG Academy in Florida USA where she achieved 3rdplace in the IMG tournament.
Then, in 2017 when Gabi was in Year 11, she was selected for the Victorian team to compete at Pizzey Cup in Shepparton in May 2017. Pizzey Cup is the national school’s tennis championships for secondary schools. Based on her results at Pizzey Cup, Gabi was one of three Victorian girls selected into the School Sport Australia All Australian Tennis team who were presented on court at the Australian Open in January 2018.
Gabi began working with MSA’s US College Guidance Counsellor, Maureen Spencer-Gardner in August 2015 when Year 9 students began selecting subjects for Year 10, and then for VCE.
Maribyrnong Sports Academy congratulates Gabi for maintaining her focus on both academics and tennis and achieving her dream goal of a scholarship to study for a 4-year degree while competing in NCAA tennis in USA. We look forward to welcoming Gabi back here at MSA during her summer breaks from US college!