Women's Tennis 5/16/2022 12:47:00 PM Chris Brannick

Central Oklahoma Meets Washburn In Sweet 16

UCO Making Fourth Consecutive Appearance At National Finals

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. – Central Oklahoma is scheduled to make its fourth consecutive Sweet 16 appearance Tuesday with the fourth-ranked Bronchos set to take on Washburn in the NCAA Division II women's tennis championship at Sanlando Park.

Central Oklahoma is the No. 2 seed in the national finals. First serve is scheduled for Tuesday, May 17 at 4 p.m. (ET).

"We're excited to be here but we're looking forward to accomplishing the goals we've set," first-year head tennis coach Joe Vann said. "We aren't satisfied with making it here, we're here for a reason and we're ready to start working for that."

Central Oklahoma has made the Sweet 16 in each of the last four postseasons the NCAA held the national tournament (2018, 2019, 2021, 2022). UCO advanced to the Elite 8 in 2018 and 2021 and won one more match last season to reach the national semifinals.

UCO arrived in Florida this week with a 21-1 record this season. The Bronchos only loss came against Barry back in February in Edmond in the 2022 ITA Indoor National Championship. Barry is the No. 1 seed this week and it's possible the two meet in a rematch Saturday in the outdoor national championship contest.

The Bronchos have won 15 in a row since that setback on Feb. 28, including all eight MIAA regular season matches, three more MIAA postseason tournament matches, and one NCAA Central Regional contest.

UCO is led by three nationally-ranked Singles players and a pair of nationally-ranked Doubles teams.

Mae Canete (18-2) is ranked No. 3 in the country, Christine Canete (15-1) is ranked No. 8 in the country, and Adel-Byanu Abidullina (17-0) is ranked No. 27 in the country in the latest ITA Singles Top 75.

Mae and Christine (16-2) also make up the No. 1 Doubles team in the country. Abidullina, with Tizia Brocks (18-1) are ranked No. 31 in the latest ITA Doubles Top 50.

Brocks also brings a 12-5 singles record to Florida, playing at positions 3-5 throughout this season. Grace Chadick is 14-5 and has spent some time nationally ranked. Blythe Buntrock adds a 9-3 singles record to the back of the UCO lineup.

Buntrock, with senior teammate Nikki Boyar, has an 8-4 record in doubles play. The duo is 7-4 at the No. 3 position in the lineup and has spent several weeks in the national doubles rankings.

UCO played Washburn once this Spring. That came on the final day of the 2022 regular season. Central Oklahoma went to Topeka, Kansas to take on the Ichabods. Both teams were 7-0 in league play that morning. UCO won 7-0 to win the 2022 MIAA regular season title.

Washburn was bounced from the MIAA postseason tournament in the semifinals and did not see the Bronchos in the championships match. But the Icabods did make the Central Region II tournament and won two matches in Sioux Falls, South Dakota to reach the Sweet 16.

Washburn is 16-11 this season.

The winner of Tuesday's matchup will advance to the national quarterfinals and take on the winner of (7) Azusa Pacific and (10) Indiana, Pa. at 4 p.m. Eastern Wednesday, May 18.

The advancing teams from there will take Thursday off before resuming with the national semifinals Friday, May 20 at 4 p.m. The 2022 NCAA Division II Women's Tennis National Championship is scheduled for Saturday, May 21 at 4 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

Adel-Byanu Abidullina: 5' 10"; Sophomore

Nikki Boyar: 5' 2"; Sophomore

Blythe Buntrock: 5' 8"; Sophomore

Mae Canete: 5' 3"; Sophomore

Tizia Brocks: 5' 9"; Graduate Student

Christine Canete: 5' 5"; Freshman

Grace Chadick: 5' 6"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Adel-Byanu Abidullina
: 5' 10"; Sophomore

Nikki Boyar
: 5' 2"; Sophomore

Blythe Buntrock
: 5' 8"; Sophomore

Mae Canete
: 5' 3"; Sophomore

Tizia Brocks
: 5' 9"; Graduate Student

Christine Canete
: 5' 5"; Freshman

Grace Chadick
: 5' 6"; Freshman