Gators guard Eleanna Christinaki grew up in Athens, Greece, and spent time on the Greek National Team. (Photo: Jim Burgess)
Greek Import Christinaki a Quick Study for Gators
Friday, December 25, 2015 | Women's Basketball, Scott Carter
Freshman guard's first trip to America was on official visit to UF
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The past four months have whizzed by for Eleanna Christinaki.
First, she left her home in Athens, Greece, at the end of the summer to start college at UF. Christinaki spoke little English and during her first semester took two English classes to speed up the learning curve.
In addition to the typical adjustments international students face when they move to America for college, Christinaki had to adjust to a new team.
Some of the exchanges between Christinaki and her coaches and teammates at practice and in meetings exhausted both sides.
"They were trying to explain some things again and again,'' Christinaki said. "They were really patient with me. I thank them for that."
"In the beginning it was really hard for her,'' said teammate Viktorija Dimaite. "She's gotten a lot better."
The language barrier never deterred Gators coach Amanda Butler from pursuing Christinaki, a 6-foot combo guard who has vast experience in the Greek national program.
Butler and the Gators welcomed Christinaki to America for the first time in April when she visited UF on her official visit. Christinaki and her parents liked what they saw.
The feeling was mutual.
"She's one of those players that on film, you could watch her play for three minutes and you go, 'OK, she's special. She's got a lot to her game. And she's what age?' It's very easy from a talent standpoint to recognize how special she is."
Whatever difficulties Christinaki faced elsewhere, when she stepped on the court she belonged. She needed only two games to make a significant impact and three to move into Florida's starting lineup.
After playing only four minutes in the Gators' season opener at Temple, Christinaki came off the bench in Florida's home debut to score 13 points and add seven assists and four rebounds in an upset victory over Florida State.
By the next game Christinaki was in the starting lineup and she hasn't left since, averaging 9.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists in the first 12 games of her UF career. The Gators won their 11th consecutive game Monday when they claimed the Gator Holiday Classic title with a 79-72 win over N.C. State.
Christinaki was named to the All-Tournament Team and led Florida with 18 points on 6-for-9 shooting against the Wolfpack. Teammate Cassie Peoples was named MVP of the tournament after scoring 16 points in the championship game.
Coming off a season in which the Gators won only 13 games and missed the postseason, the addition of Christinaki is one of the reasons Florida is off to an 11-1 start as the program prepares to face UCF on Wednesday prior to opening Southeastern Conference play on Jan. 3 against Mississippi State.
"She is very diverse. She can score outside. She can pass the ball. She can help handle the ball when teams are pressing and she adds size to our guards, which we have lacked,'' Peoples said. "She is very mature for her age. She's definitely a lot of depth to this team."
Christinaki turned 19 earlier this month and didn't start playing basketball until she was 13 at the urging of her father, a professional soccer coach. Christinaki was a soccer player up to that point.
"He knew,'' Christinaki said with a big grin.
The change in sports quickly led to success. Christinaki was named one of Greece's top up-and-coming junior players and entered the Greek National Team's development program. She even made the Greek Senior National Team last summer.
The youngest player on the team, many of Christinaki's teammates were in their 30s and play professionally in Europe.
"That was really good. I have to be more mature in my game,'' she said. "Here, we're learning things. There, you have to make it right or you will end up sitting the bench. I never feel that I am playing well. I have a lot to improve in my game."
Christinaki didn't see the court much behind her older teammates, but the experience has helped in her transition to Florida. She has faced many hurdles to get acclimated in her young college career, but intimidation on the court isn't one of them.
Christinaki is a fierce competitor on the court and a positive influence in the locker room.
'She has a maturity to her game,'' Butler said. "There's obviously been a lot of things to learn, but in terms of how she handles herself as a competitor, you just know that she has been playing on a high level for a long time.
"She joined a group that was already pretty high energy and positive energy. She took it to another level."
First, she left her home in Athens, Greece, at the end of the summer to start college at UF. Christinaki spoke little English and during her first semester took two English classes to speed up the learning curve.
In addition to the typical adjustments international students face when they move to America for college, Christinaki had to adjust to a new team.
Some of the exchanges between Christinaki and her coaches and teammates at practice and in meetings exhausted both sides.
"They were trying to explain some things again and again,'' Christinaki said. "They were really patient with me. I thank them for that."
"In the beginning it was really hard for her,'' said teammate Viktorija Dimaite. "She's gotten a lot better."
The language barrier never deterred Gators coach Amanda Butler from pursuing Christinaki, a 6-foot combo guard who has vast experience in the Greek national program.
Butler and the Gators welcomed Christinaki to America for the first time in April when she visited UF on her official visit. Christinaki and her parents liked what they saw.
The feeling was mutual.
"She's one of those players that on film, you could watch her play for three minutes and you go, 'OK, she's special. She's got a lot to her game. And she's what age?' It's very easy from a talent standpoint to recognize how special she is."
Whatever difficulties Christinaki faced elsewhere, when she stepped on the court she belonged. She needed only two games to make a significant impact and three to move into Florida's starting lineup.
After playing only four minutes in the Gators' season opener at Temple, Christinaki came off the bench in Florida's home debut to score 13 points and add seven assists and four rebounds in an upset victory over Florida State.
By the next game Christinaki was in the starting lineup and she hasn't left since, averaging 9.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists in the first 12 games of her UF career. The Gators won their 11th consecutive game Monday when they claimed the Gator Holiday Classic title with a 79-72 win over N.C. State.
Christinaki was named to the All-Tournament Team and led Florida with 18 points on 6-for-9 shooting against the Wolfpack. Teammate Cassie Peoples was named MVP of the tournament after scoring 16 points in the championship game.
Coming off a season in which the Gators won only 13 games and missed the postseason, the addition of Christinaki is one of the reasons Florida is off to an 11-1 start as the program prepares to face UCF on Wednesday prior to opening Southeastern Conference play on Jan. 3 against Mississippi State.
"She is very diverse. She can score outside. She can pass the ball. She can help handle the ball when teams are pressing and she adds size to our guards, which we have lacked,'' Peoples said. "She is very mature for her age. She's definitely a lot of depth to this team."
Christinaki turned 19 earlier this month and didn't start playing basketball until she was 13 at the urging of her father, a professional soccer coach. Christinaki was a soccer player up to that point.
"He knew,'' Christinaki said with a big grin.
The change in sports quickly led to success. Christinaki was named one of Greece's top up-and-coming junior players and entered the Greek National Team's development program. She even made the Greek Senior National Team last summer.
The youngest player on the team, many of Christinaki's teammates were in their 30s and play professionally in Europe.
"That was really good. I have to be more mature in my game,'' she said. "Here, we're learning things. There, you have to make it right or you will end up sitting the bench. I never feel that I am playing well. I have a lot to improve in my game."
Christinaki didn't see the court much behind her older teammates, but the experience has helped in her transition to Florida. She has faced many hurdles to get acclimated in her young college career, but intimidation on the court isn't one of them.
Christinaki is a fierce competitor on the court and a positive influence in the locker room.
'She has a maturity to her game,'' Butler said. "There's obviously been a lot of things to learn, but in terms of how she handles herself as a competitor, you just know that she has been playing on a high level for a long time.
"She joined a group that was already pretty high energy and positive energy. She took it to another level."
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