Three-time Big Sky Conference women’s tennis MVP Katrina Zheltova’s career with the Hornets is over.

Zheltova, who played her last match Feb. 28, was dismissed from the team for health reasons. She said her stomach started hurting bad that day.

Zheltova said the doctors originally thought it could have been appendicitis.

Tennis Director Bill Campbell was quoted in The Sacramento Bee on April 16 speculating Zheltova might have an eating disorder.

“Whether it’s an eating disorder or something else, we don’t know at this time,” Campbell told The Bee.

Zheltova said the claims of an eating disorder were absolutely false.

“I just don’t understand how you can say things like that,” Zheltova said. “He never called me after I got kicked out of the team. He never asked me how I’m doing. He probably heard something from other people.”

Campbell said he was instructed not to say anything about his comments to The Bee.

Zheltova said she originally felt bad Feb. 12 vs. UC Davis.

Athletic Director Terry Wanless said Sacramento State’s policy regarding injured players depends on the doctors’ and athletic trainers’ opinions.

“We took those medical situations seriously,” Wanless said. “She was seen by numerous doctors and eventually the situation was identified. She physically was not cleared to return back to tennis.”

Zheltova has a sports hernia and is having surgery May 17.

When she told women’s tennis head coach Dima Hyrnashka about the injury and presented him with doctor’s note, she said he did not believe her.

“I just told him I cannot play,” Zheltova said. “He was asking me, “For how long?’ And I’m like, it depends what is really happening with me. He said, “I don’t care. You have to play. You have a lot of matches.'”

Zheltova said she felt hurt that the coach did not believe her.

Zheltova alluded to potential problems between her and Hyrnashka.

She said her relationship with the coach has not been well for nearly two and a half years.

“I couldn’t find communication with my coach,” Zheltova said. “The worst part was the last two years. He would always disrespect me.”

Zheltova said it is hard to be the No. 1 player. She said it puts added pressure on her, which could have led to the strained relationship with the coach.

“”What he (Hyrnashka) was saying is, “When you play, we expect you to bring the point; you have to bring it,'” she said. “When others play, he would just explain to them to try hard and maybe bring the point.”

When asked to comment, Hyrnashka said all matters regarding Zheltova’s dismissal should be directed to Wanless.

Zheltova said she thinks it’s unfair, but she recognizes why it is that way.

“I understand that I’ve played professional before and I have more experience than everyone else on the team,” Zheltova said. “I mean, you’re going to college. It’s supposed to be equal.”

Wanless said it is natural for coaches and athletes to have differences of opinion, especially when it comes to playing through injuries.

“I think there was perhaps some disagreements on terms of her medical situation,” Wanless said. “But we are always going to air on the side of the trainers. If a student-athlete says they can’t play, then they can’t play. That’s our policy. Coaches don’t make medical decisions; that’s on the trainers.”

Wanless said each tennis player submits an anonymous coach evaluation at the end of the season. He said no problems have arisen from the evaluations or otherwise regarding Hrynashka’s coaching style.

“This is a veteran coach,” Wanless said. “This is a coach who has been with us for a number of years that has never, ever, ever had an incident like that. He has always been very respectful. There was maybe some disagreement on how things should be done, so people form their own opinions.”

Wanless said Hrynashka just wanted his best player to play.

“I don’t think for any moment that our coach misused Katrina in any fashion,” Wanless said. “Like all coaches, he wants his players to play; he wants his best players to practice, to work hard, to get better.”

Campbell echoed Wanless’ statement.

“We have never had any issues with the coaching staff,” Campbell said.

Despite Zheltova’s absence, the women’s team was able to win the Big Sky Championship and will move onto the NCAA Tournament, May 14-16.

Campbell said the rest of the team was able to step up without Zheltova in the lineup.

“When Katrina was on the team, we had nine very good players,” Campbell said. “When she wasn’t on the team, we had eight very good players.”

Wanless said it is disappointing Zheltova could not finish her career at Sac State.

“She’s a three-time MVP of the league,” he said. “Certainly if she had been able to finish her senior season, she would have been a four-time MVP, but it didn’t happen. I don’t think anything bad happened on either side. I just think there was some disagreements that caused things like this to happen. It’s not the first time and it won’t be the last.”

Dustin Nosler can be reached at [email protected]