SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The UC Santa Barbara Women's Tennis program has announced the signing of Ekua Youri, previously from the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). Youri is the reigning Big West champions' third transfer this summer, bolstering Head Coach Simon Thibodeau's squad that already signed Cara Mester and Shachf Lieberman from Oklahoma and Texas, respectively.
 
"We are thrilled to welcome Ekua to our team," Thibodeau said. "She is a talented junior transfer who led the UTSA team last year. She has incredible athleticism, speed, and powerful strokes. Ekua will also bring valuable college experience and ambitious tennis goals. She should have an immediate impact on our team."
 
Last year, as a sophomore, Youri played all of her singles matches in the top two spots of the Roadrunner lineup, compiling an 11-7 record. She was a mainstay in the doubles lineup, as well, appearing in 18 matches—13 of them in the No. 1 position. Her contributions allowed UTSA to log four weeks in the ITA Team rankings, reaching as high as No. 44 nationally. Overall, the team went 19-5.
 
Youri has dual citizenship with Botswana and England. Prior to her collegiate career she attended King's InterHigh, "the UK's leading global online school," while competing at the Barcelona Tennis Academy in Spain.
 
Youri adds to an already-strong Gaucho program coming off a 17-9 overall season, reaching the second round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament after winning the Big West Championship.