SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The UC Santa Barbara women's tennis team prepares for its season-opening road match against USC before heading back home to face Utah the following Sunday. The Gauchos enter the year with renewed momentum. Alumna Camille Kiss joins the coaching staff as assistant coach alongside ITA Southwest Region and 2025 Big West Coach of the Year Simon Thibodeau, positioning the program for another competitive season.

LAST SEASON
The Blue and Gold concluded the 2024-25 season with a strong 17-9 overall record and a flawless 9-0 run in Big West play, finishing as No. 30 in ITA and UTR team rankings. Their dominant conference run culminated in a win over rival Cal Poly, securing the Big West Championship and cementing the team's position as the gold standard for Big West tennis.

Raphaelle Leroux ended the season with an impressive 16-match win streak in singles, with an overall .758 win percentage. Undefeated in conference matchups at 8-0, Leroux enters the new season as a cornerstone of the Gauchos' lineup.

Lily Pradkin was a key piece of the team's top doubles pairings last season, posting a 10-5 record alongside Lucy Lu. Her success included crucial doubles victories in both the Big West Championship Final and the first round of the NCAA Tournament, momentum she seeks to continue into the new season.

WHAT'S NEW
The preseason showcased freshman My-Anh Holmes and the impact she is set to bring to the Gauchos, as she captured the Big West Fall Invite Doubles Championship alongside Leroux. A four-time state champion, Holmes is ready to apply her intensity on the court this season.

Transfers Ekua Youri and Shachf Libermann have also displayed their potential over the course of the preseason. The newest additions, Caroline Beard, Shanelle Iaconi, and Isabella Wong, bring fresh talent and are poised to make their unique impact for the Blue and Gold.

ABOUT USC
USC enters the 2026 season ranked No. 19 nationally and bolstered by the recent addition of assistant coach Petros Alex, named to the staff just last month. The Trojans wasted no time showcasing their depth in the preseason, sweeping both the singles and doubles titles at the USTA SoCal Intercollegiate Championships. They also stood out at the NCAA Championships as the only program in the nation with players competing in both the singles and doubles semifinals.

Last season, USC posted a 17-8 overall record and went 9-4 in Big Ten play, but ultimately fell to Washington in the conference quarterfinals. The Trojans return key contributors, including senior Emma Charney, who finished the year ranked No. 76 in singles with a 12-6 record. In doubles, Lily Fairclough was part of one of the nation's top pairings, earning a No. 14 ranking and positioning the junior as a major threat heading into the matchup.

ABOUT UTAH
Utah closed the 2025 season with a 9-15 overall record, with its postseason run ending in a 4-2 loss to Arizona in the second round of the Big 12 Tournament. The Utes return much of their core roster, bringing valuable continuity into the new season.

Leading the way is Emma Kamper, Utah's No. 1 singles player, who earned Big 12 All-Conference Second Team honors after posting a 12-6 record. The Utes also bring back the formidable doubles pairing of Sara Akid and Emma Valletta, who combined for a 10-7 record last season. In addition, senior Kaila Barksdale returns after leading the team with 13 singles victories, providing experience and leadership in the lineup.