Following the program’s inaugural campaign in the Big 12 Conference, director of tennis Bryan Koniecko has announced the women’s tennis squad’s fall slate which includes a collection of ITA tournaments, concluding with the NCAA Individual Championships in November.
The exciting 2024-25 season gets underway next week in Cary, North Carolina, for the ITA All-American Championships from Sept. 21-29, the first opportunity for Knights to punch their ticket to the NCAA Championships.
Following the trip north, UCF will make the short journey to Fort Myers for the annual Bedford Cup, hosted by FGCU. The competition consists of the top programs and players from the state who compete in a weekend-long singles and doubles tournament, with the inaugural edition dating back to 2011.
The first and only event in October will see the Knights compete at the ITA Southeast Regionals in Atlanta from Oct. 10-13. With the Yellow Jackets serving as hosts, it will mark the first appearance at the Byers Tennis Complex since the 2023 NCAA Tournament, when UCF and Georgia Tech faced off in the first round.
A quick weekend in Jacksonville for the UNF Invite to kick off November awaits before the ITA South Sectional Championships in Athens, Georgia, the final opportunity to advance to Waco later that month. The tournament serves as an expand version of the regional championships, consisting of just four regions (central, east, south and west).
For the first time, the NCAA has split its pair of championships which usually occur in May to conclude the dual-match season. The 2024-25 season will mark the first time the NCAA Individual Championships will take place in the fall, as Baylor will still serve as host for each tournament.
Multiple Knights appeared in the first rankings of the season, as Sophia Biolay (35), Aya El Aouni (87), Olivia Lincer (92) and Jantje Tilbuerger (111) slotted into the singles rankings. El Aouni was rated as the fifth-highest newcomer, an exciting honor for the Moroccan freshman.
Along with six team tournaments, Knights will be embarking on their own throughout the fall in a collection of ITF competitions. The W75 Templeton, W75 Rancho Sante Fe, W35 Bakersfield, and W50 Austin serve as the headliners to keep an eye on.
2024-25 Fall Schedule:
- ITA All-American Championships (Cary, North Carolina): September 21-29
- Bedford Cup (Fort Myers, Florida): September 27-29
- ITA Southeast Regionals (Atlanta, Georgia): October 10-13
- UNF Invite (Jacksonville, Florida): November 1-3
- ITA South Sectionals (Athens, Georgia): November 7-10
- NCAA Individual Championships (Waco, Texas): November 19-24
