FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU Department of Athletics has announced its second pair of 2019-20 monthly academic honorees. Women's soccer senior Evdokia Popadinova and men's tennis senior Marcelo Tebet were named Scholar-Athletes of the Month for September.

A female and male Eagle are chosen as the FGCU Athletics Scholar-Athlete of the Month throughout the academic year. Factors in the selection for this honor include a combination of significant athletic and overall academic success.

Popadinova (Hadzhidimovo, Bulgaria/Northwestern Ohio) is an Integrated Studies major and currently holds a 3.86 GPA. She's landed a spot on the Dean's List the previous fall and spring semesters.

The Bulgaria native leads the FGCU women's soccer team (7-3-1, 2-0-1 ASUN) with seven goals this season and has scored in four of the team's last five matches. She was tabbed as the ASUN Women's Soccer Preseason Player of the Year and was also named to the 2019 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List. She is tied for third nationally with four game-winning goals. With 21 career goals, she is one shot away from breaking into the top five of FGCU's all-time scorers list.

"Evi applies the same work ethic whether she is on or off the field and it shows in the success she's had," said head coach Jim Blankenship. "She is someone who is dedicated to being the best she can be in every aspect and she holds herself to very high standards. We can't wait to see what she continues to do this season."

Tebet (Londrina, Brazil/Colegio Anglo Americano) carries a 3.22 GPA while majoring in Interdisciplinary Entrepreneurship Studies. He made the Dean's List the previous spring semester while being a three-time member of the Athletic Director's Honor Roll.

The senior is coming off a season in which he led his team to both ASUN regular season and tournament titles. He posted a 12-5 overall singles record, including a 5-1 mark in doubles play, and went 8-0 at the No. 4 spot. Tebet clinched the ASUN Championship title for the Eagles with a thrilling 7-5 third set victory over UNF to give FGCU its third NCAA Tournament berth. For his effort, he was named ASUN Tournament MVP. Most recently, he made it to the Round of 16 in a highly competitive field at the Gridiron Classic.

"Marcelo is a leader on our team in every aspect a coach could ask for," said head coach CJ Weber. "He is incredibly responsible and organized, a great leader to all the guys on the team and leads by word and action. I'm very much looking forward to his senior year, as he continues to grow as a player and young man."

2019-20 Scholar-Athletes of the Month
August – Dana Axner (Volleyball) and Jahan Rajaee (Men's Soccer)
September – Evdokia Popadinova (Women's Soccer) and Marcelo Tebet (Men's Tennis)

ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 78 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 11+ seasons at the Division-I level. Additionally, in just seven+ seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 36 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Seven FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport - including both men's soccer, women's soccer, and women's basketball again in 2018-19. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.35 GPA in the classroom in spring 2018 and have outpaced their institution's undergraduate student body GPA each of the past 20 semesters. In 2016-17, the Green and Blue posted a department-best sixth-place finish in the DI-AAA Learfield Directors' Cup and top-100 showing nationally, ahead of several Power-5 and FBS institutions. The Eagles also served an all-time high 7,200 volunteer hours - being recognized as one of two runners-up for the inaugural NACDA Community Service Award presented by the Fiesta Bowl in 2017.