Julie Willison Milanak
Class of 2016
Janet Phillips, a member of the Bedford County Sports Hall of Fame, coached many outstanding tennis players during her stellar coaching career at Hyndman Junior Senior High School.
Without a doubt, Julie (Willison) Milanak would have to rank near the top of the list of all the dynamic tennis stars during the “Phillips Era” at Hyndman.
In her freshman year, the Lady Hornet finished second in the District 5 tournament, but advanced to the state tournament and became the first District 5 girl to win a first round match at states. The loss in the District 5 final was her only loss to a District 5 player in her high school career.
Over her high school career in singles and doubles, she made six trips to the state tournament.
The slim, shy Lady Hornet also played in five USTA Middle States sanctioned tournaments and earned a seventh-place ranking by the Central Pennsylvania Tennis Association.
While she achieved many accolades in high school, she went on to have an outstanding college career after earning a four-year scholarship to West Virginia Wesleyan.
In her first season, she compiled a 29-0 record to become the first women’s player in West Virginia Wesleyan history to go undefeated in a season.
She continued to go undefeated for the duration of her years at West Virginia Wesleyan and won the WVIAC (West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) at No. 2 singles every year.
Willison and her teammates went to Kansas City for the NAIA Nationals on two different occasions during her collegiate career.
She also took on players outside the WVIAC. Her team took on the imposing West Virginia women’s team at Morgantown, and Julie was the only team member to secure a win.
The same scenario played out when West Virginia Wesleyan faced Division I powers such as Duquesne, Marshall, Robert Morris, and the University of Charleston, which was the perennial top-seed. Willison was the only player on her team to get a win against those opponents.
After college, Willison met her future husband, Mike Milanak, at a tennis event. She likes to joke that Mike was not competing. The Milanaks reside in the Altoona area with their son, Ben. Julie is a successful optometrist with her own practice in Altoona.
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Without a doubt, Julie (Willison) Milanak would have to rank near the top of the list of all the dynamic tennis stars during the “Phillips Era” at Hyndman.
In her freshman year, the Lady Hornet finished second in the District 5 tournament, but advanced to the state tournament and became the first District 5 girl to win a first round match at states. The loss in the District 5 final was her only loss to a District 5 player in her high school career.
Over her high school career in singles and doubles, she made six trips to the state tournament.
The slim, shy Lady Hornet also played in five USTA Middle States sanctioned tournaments and earned a seventh-place ranking by the Central Pennsylvania Tennis Association.
While she achieved many accolades in high school, she went on to have an outstanding college career after earning a four-year scholarship to West Virginia Wesleyan.
In her first season, she compiled a 29-0 record to become the first women’s player in West Virginia Wesleyan history to go undefeated in a season.
She continued to go undefeated for the duration of her years at West Virginia Wesleyan and won the WVIAC (West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) at No. 2 singles every year.
Willison and her teammates went to Kansas City for the NAIA Nationals on two different occasions during her collegiate career.
She also took on players outside the WVIAC. Her team took on the imposing West Virginia women’s team at Morgantown, and Julie was the only team member to secure a win.
The same scenario played out when West Virginia Wesleyan faced Division I powers such as Duquesne, Marshall, Robert Morris, and the University of Charleston, which was the perennial top-seed. Willison was the only player on her team to get a win against those opponents.
After college, Willison met her future husband, Mike Milanak, at a tennis event. She likes to joke that Mike was not competing. The Milanaks reside in the Altoona area with their son, Ben. Julie is a successful optometrist with her own practice in Altoona.
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Bedford County Sports Hall of Fame
Bedford County, Pennsylvania
Bedford County, Pennsylvania
Bedford County Sports
Hall of Fame
Class of 2016