NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The field is set for the NCAA Singles & Doubles Championships as Vanderbilt women’s tennis awaits the opening round of the championship tournament.
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— Vanderbilt Women’s Tennis (@VandyWTennis) November 18, 2024
“We had a great week of practice last week in preparation for the individual championships with a heavy dose of point and set play,” head coach Aleke Tsoubanos said. “It has been a very quick fall in terms of competition, with this event taking place less than 10 weeks after beginning in September. This tournament will be about accepting the conditions of each match, staying emotionally level, and relentlessly competing for every single point.”
No. 34 ranked Bridget Stammel opens her tournament as a 9-16 seed, facing Virginia Tech’s Oslem Uslu in the Round of 64 at 4:30 p.m. CT. The junior qualified for the singles draw after winning the ITA Ohio Valley Regional Championships in October. Also in Stammel’s quadrant of the bracket is Duke’s Emma Jackson, who the Commodore beat 7-5, 6-3 earlier this season, and Anne-Christine Lutkemeyer of UCLA, who downed Stammel in doubles 6-4, 6-3 at All-Americans.
Sophomore Valeria Ray makes her NCAA Championships debut, rounding out the Commodores in singles. Ray takes on Stanford’s Alexis Blokhina in the first round, set to start at 12:30 p.m. The Dore is competing in the same quadrant as the current ITA No. 1 and tournament’s No. 1 overall seed, Mary Stoiana of Texas A&M.
“We have two first-time NCAA singles qualifiers in Stammel and Ray, and I know they are eager to get underway tomorrow,” Tsoubanos said. “We’ve stressed the importance of positivity and playing within themselves. They are both big ball strikers, so staying aggressive and looking for opportunities to take over court positioning will be key in their success this week.”
In doubles, No. 29 Célia-Belle Mohr and Sophia Webster return to the court after securing qualification in the ITA Conference Masters Championships. The senior and freshman duo match up against Stephanie Yakoff and Kavya Karra of Harvard. The Dores have already competed against two other doubles teams in their quadrant: Cal’s No. 16 ranked Mao Mushika and Jessica Alsola as well as Abby Nugent and Clara Owen of Xavier.
“Célia and Sophia have impressed me all fall playing together,” Tsoubanos said. “They connect so well with each other on the doubles court. Serving and having a great net presence will be huge for them this tournament. When they feed off of each other emotionally and look to be aggressive, they are one of the most dangerous teams in the country.”
This season’s NCAA Championships marks the fourth appearance in the tournament for Mohr. She advanced to the singles second round in 2023 before falling to Auburn. Last season, Mohr qualified for both draws, making a run to the quarterfinals in singles and the semifinals in doubles alongside Anessa Lee.
“Célia went deep into the doubles event last year with Anessa [Lee], so I think she understands what to expect in terms of the level of competition and, more importantly, how to traverse the pressure that comes with postseason play,” Tsoubanos said. “Sophia isn’t a stranger to very competitive doubles play but having a partner who’s been here before will be a calming and energetic presence, which will be really good for us.”
Including this season’s four qualifiers, Vanderbilt has sent a total of 40 singles players and 38 doubles players to the NCAA Championships since 2000. During that span, the Dores have advanced to the singles semifinals twice, in 2017 and 2018, and the doubles finals once, in 2004.
“I know Célia, Sophia, Bridget, and Valeria are excited about their opportunities here in Waco and I’m proud to have four players here representing Vanderbilt in the NCAA Championships,” Tsoubanos said. “I’m looking forward to watching some awesome tennis.”
The NCAA Singles & Doubles Championships will take place Nov. 19-24 at Baylor’s Hurd Tennis Center in Waco, Texas. The tournament will be streamed on ESPN+, with coverage provided by Cracked Racquets. For more information and updates on the Vanderbilt women’s tennis team, follow @VandyWTennis on Instagram and X.
