The TAMU-CC women’s tennis program secured their Southland Conference championship and punched their ticket to the NCAA tournament on April 24. 

“It’s the most prestigious honor that a college athlete can have,” Head Coach Steve Moore said. “There are 316 teams in women’s tennis, and only 64 go to the NCAA tournament. It’s the reward for the nine months of hard work and sacrifice you’ve put in.”

The Islanders kicked off the tournament with two wins in doubles by sophomores Leopoldine Boisseau and Kateryna Rublevska and juniors Camille Townsend and Mariya Shumeika. 

The doubles’ wins were followed by a victory from sophomore Victoire Delattre. Shortly after, Rublevska secured her second victory of the day, this time in singles. Their championship was secured when Shumeika, the SLC tournament MVP, won her singles match.

“I think the energy, our fitness, and the work we put in during matches and practice is why we won the conference tournament and are going to the NCAA tournament,” sophomore captain Emma Aucagne said.

The victory serves as TAMU-CC women’s tennis program’s ninth Southland Conference championship and ticket to their fifth NCAA Tournament. Their five tournament appearances serve as the most out of any Southland Conference member. 

“I think our biggest goal is to go in and make a statement about who we are, even if it is just on one court,” junior captain Camille Townsend said. “We just want to go and show that we can still do it even if we don’t have everything they have.”

The program has the second most championships out of any TAMU-CC sports program behind men’s tennis. “They have done some pretty special things, and they did it with their fitness and their heart,” Moore said. 

Out of the 316 teams in NCAA D1 sports, the Islanders ranked as high as 81 this season, never falling below the top 100 threshold. For the past nine years, the team has ranked in the top 90 teams nationally, going as high as 60.

“Our team is built on these pillars of character, family, extreme hard work, and accountability,” Moore said. “And these things are absolutely massive in the last two months of the season where it is all about heart and fitness.”

The Islanders’ destination and opponent will be revealed during the NCAA Tournament Selection Show at 5:30 on Monday, May 2. For more information and updates on their journey in the tournament, visit https://goislanders.com/sports/womens-tennis.