UCO Tennis Player Wins Prestigious Arthur Ashe Jr. Leadership and Sportsmanship Award
Aug. 28, 2025
Karyna Yurchenko, a senior member of the University of Central Oklahoma tennis team from Kiev, Ukraine, was honored this past weekend in New York City as a 2024-25 recipient of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s (ITA) prestigious Arthur Ashe Jr. Leadership and Sportsmanship Award.
Yurchenko is the first UCO student-athlete to receive this distinction and one of only 11 honorees nationwide across all five divisions of collegiate tennis—NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and JUCO. She was joined at the award presentation by UCO President Todd G. Lamb, First Lady Monica Lamb and Vice President for Athletics Stan Wagnon.
“Karyna embodies the very best of what it means to be a Broncho—resilient, service-minded and committed to excellence on and off the court,” said UCO President Todd G. Lamb.
“To see her honored, on the national stage, with the Arthur Ashe Jr. Leadership and Sportsmanship Award is a moment of great pride for the University of Central Oklahoma. Her story is an inspiration to our campus, community and beyond.”
The ITA Leadership Awards Weekend, held in conjunction with the U.S. Open, offered recipients opportunities to engage with the sport at its highest level. Yurchenko took part in Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day, a signature Fan Week event, where she volunteered at a youth tennis clinic celebrating the life and legacy of the award’s namesake.
On the court, Yurchenko has been a driving force for the Bronchos. She posted a 13-7 record last season as UCO captured the MIAA Championship and advanced to the NCAA Championship. Individually, she finished with an 18-9 singles record and a 17-6 doubles mark.
Off the court, she has distinguished herself as a Student-Athlete Advisory Committee representative and as a recipient of UCO’s Broncho Way Award, which recognizes leadership and sportsmanship. Her commitment to service extends well beyond Edmond.
After fleeing her hometown during the Russian invasion of Ukraine in her senior year of high school, Yurchenko has worked tirelessly to give back. Using income from her campus jobs, she organizes youth tennis tournaments in Ukraine during school breaks to inspire players affected by the war to pursue their own educational and athletic dreams in America. She also coordinates holiday gift drives—playing “Secret Santa” for children impacted by the conflict.
First presented in 1982, the ITA Arthur Ashe Jr. Leadership and Sportsmanship Award honors student-athletes who exemplify the values of sportsmanship, leadership, academic achievement and service. Yurchenko’s recognition places UCO among the institutions across the country carrying forward Ashe’s legacy of character and impact through sport.
(end)
Cutline: Karyna Yurchenko, a senior member of the University of Central Oklahoma tennis team from Kiev, Ukraine, was honored this past weekend in New York City as a 2024-25 recipient of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s (ITA) prestigious Arthur Ashe Jr. Leadership and Sportsmanship Award. Pictured, Yurchenko poses with Neel Grover, left, Chairman of the ITA Board, and David Mullins, right, ITA CEO.
Deirdre Steiner