News: IMG Academies

Mary Beth Hurley won the Bollettieri Junior Championships in the girls 12-singles tournament at IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy Jan. 25 following a three-day tournament in Bradenton, Fla.

A 12-year-old Novi resident, Hurley was dominant in winning the competition that brings together the best tennis players from the southeast U.S. and other assorted locations.

After a first-round bye as the No. 1 seed, Hurley defeated Sophia Haleas 6-0, 6-0 in the round of 16, Anastacia Parkin 6-0, 6-0 in the quarterfinals, Sophia Gasca-Bandinel 6-0, 6-0 in the semifinals and then defeated No. 4-seed Olga Basko 6-0, 6-1 in the finals.

Hurley's opponents came from Florida, Illinois, British Columbia and alongside her at The Pendleton School at IMG Academies.

Pendleton is a combination athletic and education training facility founded for tennis, but now serving golf, baseball, basketball, soccer and performance as well. Ninety-eight percent of Pendleton's 110-plus 2009 graduates earned a college scholarship, while the other 2 percent went pro.

Notable tennis alumni include Andre Agassi, Maria Sharapova and both Serena and Venus Williams. Alumni in other sports include Kobe Bryant, Drew Brees, Vince Carter, LaDainian Tomlinson, Freddy Adu, Jozy Altidore, Josh Hamilton and others.