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Posted: Jan 18, 2022

Carnegie Mellon Mourns Loss of Tennis Student-Athlete Mikhail Grebenkin

Carnegie Mellon Mourns Loss of Tennis Student-Athlete Mikhail Grebenkin

Carnegie Mellon University mourns the loss of first-year student-athlete Mikhail Grebenkin, who passed away December 30, following a sudden and tragic accident in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

"We are heartbroken by Misha's passing. He was loved by his teammates and coaches, and impacted others in a profound way," said head men's tennis coach Mike Belmonte. "Misha was everything a coach could ask for in a student-athlete and he meant so much to our team. He was responsible and diligent. A great listener and persistently happy. He was a consistently hard worker and remarkably resilient for someone so young. He was appreciated and respected by everyone and left an incredible impact on us all. His time with us will be cherished forever."

Originally from Moscow, Russia, Misha was an active member of the university community and a first-year player on the men's tennis team. He was passionate about his studies in the Mellon College of Science and was a member of the university's Math Club.

An accomplished tennis player, Misha made immediate contributions on the court for the Tartans this past fall. He ended the fall season with a pair of singles victories at the ITA Southeast Regional in Virginia.

"Misha was remarkably genuine, a free-spirited individual and the kind of person that made it nearly impossible to not be constantly laughing while you were around him," said men's tennis junior captain Jonny Nottingham. "It's hard to put into words the impact he brought to our team through his joyous authenticity. I'll miss Misha for the rest of my life, but I am incredibly lucky to have known him. I will always be grateful for the memories my teammates and I were able to make with him."

Misha was the beloved son of Yuri Grebenkin and Maria Usova, and loving brother to Sofya. Funeral services were held in Frankfurt on January 7. The university will announce details of a university gathering to remember and honor Misha's impact on our community as they are confirmed.