Rice University Athletics
Sunday, April 19
Houston, TX
12 PM
Rice University
4
vs
2
Wichita State
Photo by: American Athletic Conference/Ben Soloman
CHAMPS! Rice Women’s Tennis Win First American Conference Title
4/19/2026 5:12:00 PM | Women's Tennis
HOUSTON – The Rice women's tennis team defeated Wichita State 4-2 to win the 2026 American Conference Championship at the George R. Brown Tennis Center.
The Owls capitalized on their home-court advantage to secure their first American Conference title and an automatic NCAA postseason berth.
In doubles, Wichita State took the point with a tiebreak win on court three. In the first match to finish, Francesca Maguina and Ema Mravcova defeated Theodora Chantava and Kristina Kudryavtseva 6-2. Darya Schwartzman and Uma Bakaityte followed with a 6-4 win over Xin Tong Wang and Giorgia Roselli to even the doubles matches. On the final court, Divna Ratkovic and Daniela Chica were unable to secure the tiebreak, falling 7-6 to Anne Knuttel and Vichitraporn.
The Owls did not let the doubles result slow them down. Instead, it fueled a strong and dominant performance in singles play.
Wichita State claimed the first singles point when Schwartzman fell 6-3, 6-0 to Xin Tong Wang. Maguina put Rice on the board with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Vimuktananda. Mravcova evened the match at 2-2 with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Nikolenko. Bakaityte gave the Owls the lead, winning in three sets, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.
In similar dramatic fashion, Ratkovic delivered the deciding point with the crowd roaring behind her. She defeated Roselli 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 to clinch the championship for the Owls.
On court five, Nithesa Selvaraj had just entered a third set after dropping the second-set tiebreak, with set scores of 7-6, 6-7.
The Owls secured their first conference title since 2019, when they defeated Old Dominion 4-2 in the Conference USA Championship.
Divna Ratkovic was named the American Conference Most Outstanding Player following her clutch performance throughout the tournament.
Head coach Elizabeth Schmidt said, "Quite a story, from where we've come, what we've been through and what we just accomplished. I'm so proud of this team and the guts and courage they showed today and all season. It really was an exclamation point on the last three matches, just a gritty, courageous effort. We played a really tough Wichita State team today, and I have a lot of respect for them and their coaches. It was a great college tennis match, and we were fortunate to be on this side of it. I couldn't be happier for our players, our athletics department and Rice."
RESULTS
DOUBLES
D. Schwartzman/U. Bakaityte (RICE) def. X. Wang/G. Roselli (WSU) 6-4
T. Chantava/K. Kudryavtseva (WSU) def. F. Maguina/E. Mravcova (RICE) 6-2
A. Knuttel/V. Vimuktananda (WSU) def. D. Ratkovic/D. Chica (RICE) 7-6
Order of Finish: 2, 1, 3
SINGLES
X. Wang (WSU) def. D. Schwartzman (RICE) 6-3, 6-0
D. Ratkovic (RICE) def. G. Roselli (WSU) 6-1, 3-6, 6-2
U. Bakaityte (RICE) def. T. Chantava (WSU) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
F. Maguina (RICE) vs V. Vimuktananda (WSU) 6-2, 6-2
N. Selvaraj (RICE) vs K. Kudryavtseca (WSU) 7-6, 6-7 uf
E. Mravcova (RICE) def. T. Nikolenko (WSU) 7-5, 6-3
Order of Finish: 1, 4, 6, 3, 2
The Owls capitalized on their home-court advantage to secure their first American Conference title and an automatic NCAA postseason berth.
In doubles, Wichita State took the point with a tiebreak win on court three. In the first match to finish, Francesca Maguina and Ema Mravcova defeated Theodora Chantava and Kristina Kudryavtseva 6-2. Darya Schwartzman and Uma Bakaityte followed with a 6-4 win over Xin Tong Wang and Giorgia Roselli to even the doubles matches. On the final court, Divna Ratkovic and Daniela Chica were unable to secure the tiebreak, falling 7-6 to Anne Knuttel and Vichitraporn.
The Owls did not let the doubles result slow them down. Instead, it fueled a strong and dominant performance in singles play.
Wichita State claimed the first singles point when Schwartzman fell 6-3, 6-0 to Xin Tong Wang. Maguina put Rice on the board with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Vimuktananda. Mravcova evened the match at 2-2 with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Nikolenko. Bakaityte gave the Owls the lead, winning in three sets, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.
In similar dramatic fashion, Ratkovic delivered the deciding point with the crowd roaring behind her. She defeated Roselli 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 to clinch the championship for the Owls.
On court five, Nithesa Selvaraj had just entered a third set after dropping the second-set tiebreak, with set scores of 7-6, 6-7.
The Owls secured their first conference title since 2019, when they defeated Old Dominion 4-2 in the Conference USA Championship.
Divna Ratkovic was named the American Conference Most Outstanding Player following her clutch performance throughout the tournament.
Head coach Elizabeth Schmidt said, "Quite a story, from where we've come, what we've been through and what we just accomplished. I'm so proud of this team and the guts and courage they showed today and all season. It really was an exclamation point on the last three matches, just a gritty, courageous effort. We played a really tough Wichita State team today, and I have a lot of respect for them and their coaches. It was a great college tennis match, and we were fortunate to be on this side of it. I couldn't be happier for our players, our athletics department and Rice."
RESULTS
DOUBLES
D. Schwartzman/U. Bakaityte (RICE) def. X. Wang/G. Roselli (WSU) 6-4
T. Chantava/K. Kudryavtseva (WSU) def. F. Maguina/E. Mravcova (RICE) 6-2
A. Knuttel/V. Vimuktananda (WSU) def. D. Ratkovic/D. Chica (RICE) 7-6
Order of Finish: 2, 1, 3
SINGLES
X. Wang (WSU) def. D. Schwartzman (RICE) 6-3, 6-0
D. Ratkovic (RICE) def. G. Roselli (WSU) 6-1, 3-6, 6-2
U. Bakaityte (RICE) def. T. Chantava (WSU) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
F. Maguina (RICE) vs V. Vimuktananda (WSU) 6-2, 6-2
N. Selvaraj (RICE) vs K. Kudryavtseca (WSU) 7-6, 6-7 uf
E. Mravcova (RICE) def. T. Nikolenko (WSU) 7-5, 6-3
Order of Finish: 1, 4, 6, 3, 2
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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