PREVIEW: #22 Women’s Tennis heads to Florida for NCAA Regional action

St. Augustine, Fla. —- The 22nd-ranked and sixth-seeded Catawba College women's tennis team will make the 7-hour trek to St. Augustine, Fla. for the 2024 NCAA Division II Women's Tennis Southeast Regional hosted by Flagler College, taking on 7th-ranked and third-seeded Wingate in the opening round.

The appearance is Catawba's first since 2002, while the Catawba Indians are searching for their first NCAA Tournament victory since taking down Pfeiffer in the opening round of the 2001 NCAA Regional. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, are making their sixth straight NCAA appearance and 19th overall.

The Catawba Indians and Bulldogs have recent history, as the two squared off in the South Atlantic Conference title match back on April 20, with sixth-seed Catawba running away with their first conference title in program history with a 4-1 victory over top-seed Wingate.

Ami Miya was named SAC Tournament MVP after a stellar performance, defeating the top-ranked singles player from Wingate to clinch the championship point. Miya, a First Team All-Conference performer in singles play will likely play at the #1 or #2 position, while Anna Wise has also competed in some action at the #1 position for the Catawba Indians this season. Wise was down a set but leading the second against Wingate's #1 singles when championship point was reached. 

Mati Moretti, Isidora Zivkovic, Vaishnavi Venkatesh and Sofia Hernandez Mera were slotted 3-6 in the SAC title match as they have been in some order for much of the season in singles play. An experienced group in the back end of the singles lineup for Catawba, each are in their final season in Salisbury with Moretti, Venkatesh and Hernandez Mera being together with head coach Mic Moore from their days at NAIA Montreat College.

As for doubles play, Miya and Wise have been paired for much of the latter half of the season with Miya's regular doubles partner, Rin Igarashi, transitioning to play with Hernandez Mera. The latter doubles pairing knocked off Wingate's #3 in the SAC title match, the only Catawba pairing to do so.

The other side of the Flagler pod includes the second-seed host Saints and 7th-seed Newberry, who Catawba also defeated en route to the SAC crown. Flagler and Newberry are set to play at 11 a.m. with Catawba and Wingate to follow at 2 p.m. The winner of the two matches will play on Saturday at 11 a.m.

Live stats are available via iOnCourt, which can be found on the Catawba College Athletics website.