N.C. Central University tennis player Misha Johnson has won eight straight tennis matches.

She has an individual record of 8-1 in the CIAA and is also currently maintaining a 3.5 grade point average. That’s the definition of a student-athlete.

Johnson was born and raised in Greensboro, N.C. where she said her upbringing helped her understand the meaning of hard work and being well rounded.

“I was pretty much raised in a family that stressed hard work, dedication, devotion to education and putting God first in my life,” she said.

Johnson learned how to play tennis from her father who was a coach. He taught her to have a strong work ethic.

However, Johnson did not start to love the game until she was in high school. She said even though her father coached her, it took time for her to get tennis in her blood.

“It took longer for me to start playing tennis because I was not the best athletically,” she said.

In her fourth year at NCCU, Johnson has emerged as the team’s best player.

She knows more than anyone that to continue her success she must continue to work hard on her game.

She said the key to her success is her willingness to practice as much as possible. Johnson said in the summer she often plays five times a week to stay in shape.

Because she is so talented, Johnson usually has to face the best player on other teams. She said that the challenge helps her lift her game to a higher level.

“I know if I’m going to play against the best, then I need to bring out my best effort every time I take the tennis court,” she said. “I always know I’m going to have a fight on my hands.”

Tennis is a game that people often see as an individual sport rather than a team sport.

Johnson said she sees it as a team sport because there are others on the team and everyone has to contribute to make a run at the CIAA title.

Despite competing against the top players in the CIAA, Johnson also competes in the classroom.

During the school year, the pressure of maintaining her grades along with competing can be hard on athletes.

Johnson said Coach David Nass has done a tremendous job of being there for the team and that he is the key to the teams academic success.

“Coach Nass really looks out for all his players,” she said. “He’s very kind and concerned with everyone’s well being and is a very stable force.”

Johnson added that her’m enthusiasm for the sport and commitment to promoting participation in women’s sports has been both motivating and inspirational.

Johnson hopes to continue her academic education by attending graduate school at Duke next fall to pursue a PHD in pharmacology.

In her time at NCCU, Johnson has displayed positive character and is a role model for students to look at on and off the tennis court.

“When I am on the court I give it a 100 percent win or lose,” Johnson said.