MERCED, Calif. – University of California, Merced women's volleyball senior Semiramis Tanasescu was named a Dr. Hal Charnofsky Memorial Award winner at UC Merced's Athletics Banquet.
The Dr. Hal Charnofsky Memorial Award recognizes CCAA student-athletes who have distinguished themselves in the classroom and in their sport. Two student-athletes at each CCAA member institution in the 2025-26 academic year are given the award.
Tanasescu and UC Merced men's soccer's Joey Alvarez are this year's recipients.
Tanasescu, the Bobcats middle blocker from Irvine, Calif., has maintained a 3.90 GPA and will graduate in May with a bachelor's degree in human biology. She has achieved a 4.0 GPA in each of the last three semesters.
One of the best middle blockers to ever play at UC Merced finished her career ranked second in program history with 61 solo blocks, third with 229 total blocks, third with a .272 hitting percentage, fifth with 357 sets played, and ninth with 504 kills. Tanasescu is one of just two players in program history with at least 500 career kills and 200 career blocks (Jaysonna Johnson).
Tanasescu's senior year was one of her best. She earned CCAA Honorable Mention recognition after finishing second in the league with a .340 hitting percentage and was tied for fifth with 15 solo blocks. Her .340 hitting percentage was also the second highest hitting percentage in program history and she was one of just four NCAA Division II players in California to hit .340 or better with at least 100 kills. Tanasescu averaged 1.49 K/S and 0.59 B/S on the year.
Prior to the Bobcats joining the CCAA, Tanasescu helped lead the Bobcats to the 2024 California Pacific Conference Regular Season and Tournament Championship. She earned honorable mention recognition. Tanasescu earned the starting job her freshman season and averaged at least 1.2 kills and 0.5 blocks per set all four years.
Tanasescu is also UC Merced women's volleyball's only 3X CSC Academic All-District honoree and is a 3X Chancellor's List member.
Outside of the classroom and competition, Tanasescu has been a huge contributor to the athletics department as a graphic designer, statistician, and a student-athlete learning assistant.
Tanasescu has been admitted to UNLV School of Dental Medicine and will begin dental school in Las Vegas, Nev., this fall.
