Women's Tennis | 4/27/2026 10:53:00 PM

Saint Francis women's tennis has advanced to the NCAA Division I Tournament and will face Virginia in its first-ever NCAA Tournament matchup. This match is scheduled for Saturday, May 2, in Charlottesville, Virginia, with a 2 p.m. start.

The winner between Saint Francis and Virginia will advance to the regional semifinals to face the winner of Liberty or Washington.

Saint Francis won the NEC women's tennis championship for the first time, securing its place in the NCAA championship. In the conference tournament, the No. 2-seeded Red Flash defeated seventh-seed Chicago State, sixth-seed Le Moyne, and top-seed FDU, not conceding a point to any opponent. Following the championship match, senior Kelly Dowuona, freshman Helena Lynn, and junior Reagen Mangan were named to the NEC All-Tournament Team for their contributions in the clean sweep.

So far this season, Saint Francis is 16-8 with a 6-1 conference record, including a dominant March that saw the squad win seven straight matches. Under five-year head coach Eric Hovan, the team aimed to claim its first title after falling just short in last year's championship match, its first appearance in the final. Voted to finish second in the NEC preseason poll, Saint Francis rebounded after losing to the unanimous favorite FDU, winning its next six conference games by six or more points each time. The Red Flash ended the regular season poised to make history.

Virginia advanced to the NCAA Tournament after receiving an at-large bid. The Cavaliers were runner-ups in the ACC Women's Tennis Championship after falling 4-0 to NC State.

Entering the tournament, the Virginia women's team is making its 25th overall appearance in the NCAA Women's Tennis Championships and its eighth straight under head coach Sara O'Leary. Freshman Katie Rolls leads the Cavaliers with a singles record of 27-9. According to the ITA, Rolls is ranked 83rd in Division I, up from 62 earlier this season.