Women's Tennis 9/21/2023 6:00:00 AM Chris Brannick

Central Oklahoma Hosting ITA Regional Championships

Edmond Center Court Is The Sight Of Major College Tennis Tournament Friday-Sunday

EDMOND – Central Oklahoma is hosting the 2023 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Regional Championships this weekend at Edmond Center Court. The three-day event begins Friday at 8 a.m., with the finals scheduled for Sunday afternoon.

UCO has seven squad members in either the A or B draws. Almost 150 female tennis players from the MIAA, the Great American Conference, and the Northern Sun, are in Edmond this weekend for the tournament.

There are 16 spots open for singles and doubles at the ITA Cup in Rome, Georgia next month. Eight regional champions will automatically advance and eight at-large selections will join them.

The ITA Cup is scheduled for Oct. 12-16 in Georgia.

Central Oklahoma has a strong history of producing regional champions. The Bronchos have won the doubles regional title three of the last four years, which includes the canceled 2020 season. That also includes Blythe Buntrock's win a year ago. UCO has also had two singles players win regional titles in the last five years, four tournaments.

Buntrock was a national semifinalist a year ago and the All-American senior is ready to give her last ITA Regional tournament all it can take. The Las Vegas native has 70 career wins (30 single/40 double) and worked her way to the No. 1 doubles ranking in the country last year.

Nefeli Zafeiri, a junior in her second year with the Bronchos, and Pete Komada and Karyna Yurchenko, both sophomores, bring some experience to UCO's draws this weekend. Anika Ouwejan, Manon Hallemans and Ayaka Koga are all making their ITA Regional debut.

UCO has competed in two fall tournaments so far this year, seeing positive results at both Northeastern State's Rumble by the River, and the Tyler Invite.

Here are Central's first-round matchups Friday morning. The second round is scheduled for Friday afternoon, with the Round of 16 and quarterfinals scheduled for Saturday. The ITA Regional champions will be crowned Sunday.

Singles A Draw
Round of 64
Ouwejan vs. Irina Alfonso, Fort Hays State
Komada vs. Alexia Zarate Valdez, Harding
Zafeiri vs. Kristina Kozlova, Henderson State
Buntrock vs. Angela Georgieva, Henderson State

Singles B Draw
Round of 64
Hallemans vs. Nicole Bono, Newman
Yurchenko, bye to Round of 32
Koga, bye to Round of 32

Doubles A Draw
Round of 32
Zafeiri/Ouwejan vs. Sofia Pignataro/Carolina Lima de Oliveria, Northwest Missouri
Buntrock/Komada vs. Grace Dodd/Madison Stafford, Harding

Doubles B Draw
Round of 32
Yurchenko/Koga, bye to Round of 16

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Blythe Buntrock: 5' 8"; Senior

Pete Komada: 5' 5"; Sophomore

Karyna Yurchenko: 5' 6"; Sophomore

Nefeli Zafeiri: 5' 7"; Junior

Anika Ouwejan: 5' 7"; Freshman

Ayaka Koga: 5' 3"; Freshman

Manon Hallemans: 5' 3"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Blythe Buntrock
: 5' 8"; Senior

Pete Komada
: 5' 5"; Sophomore

Karyna Yurchenko
: 5' 6"; Sophomore

Nefeli Zafeiri
: 5' 7"; Junior

Anika Ouwejan
: 5' 7"; Freshman

Ayaka Koga
: 5' 3"; Freshman

Manon Hallemans
: 5' 3"; Freshman