Rice University Athletics
Saturday, May 2
Baton Rouge, LA
11 AM
Rice University
vs
TCU
Rice Set for NCAA First Round
5/1/2026 1:44:00 PM | Women's Tennis
HOUSTON – The Rice women's tennis team will compete in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Baton Rouge this weekend.
The Owls earned an automatic bid after winning the American Conference Tournament, defeating Wichita State in the championship match. Rice is making its 11th NCAA postseason appearance under head coach Elizabeth Schmidt and its second consecutive appearance.
In the Baton Rouge Regional, No. 1 seed LSU (No. 10 overall) is joined by No. 2 seed TCU, No. 3 seed Rice and No. 4 seed SFA. First-round matches are set for May 2 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., with the second round scheduled for May 3 at 2 p.m.
Rice will take on No. 20 TCU at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 2, at the LSU Tennis Complex.
BATON ROUGE HISTORY: The Owls last competed at the LSU Tennis Complex in 2024, falling to TCU, 4-1. Rice last played an NCAA Tournament match in Baton Rouge in 2021, dropping a 4-1 decision to No. 20 Michigan in the first round.
NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY: Rice is 6-14 all-time in the NCAA Tournament since 1977, with its last win coming in 2016, a 4-1 first-round victory over Clemson. Last season, the Owls earned an at-large bid and fell, 4-3, to No. 32 UC Santa Barbara in the College Station Regional.
DOUBLES SUCCESS: The Owls have secured 15 doubles points this season and are undefeated when winning the doubles point. Rice is 2-6 when dropping the doubles point. Divna Ratkovic and Francesca Maguina lead the team with five match-clinching points each, followed by Nithesa Selvaraj (4), Ema Mravcova (2) and Uma Bakaityte (1).
POSTSEASON HONORS: Rice had a strong showing in the American Conference postseason awards. Elizabeth Schmidt was named Women's Coach of the Year, while Divna Ratkovic (a unanimous selection) and Darya Schwartzman were named to the 12-player All-Conference Team. Ratkovic was also named the Conference Tournament Most Outstanding Player after clinching both the semifinal and championship matches.
VS TCU: Rice previously faced TCU this season, falling 4-0 on Feb. 1 in Fort Worth. The Owls' last win against the Horned Frogs came Feb. 6, 2019, a 6-0 victory at the George R. Brown Tennis Center.
VS LSU/SFA: The Owls are 9-12 all-time against LSU, with the most recent meeting resulting in a 4-1 loss in 2024 at the LSU Tennis Complex. Rice is 9-0 all-time against SFA, with the last matchup a 7-0 win in 2008.
The Owls earned an automatic bid after winning the American Conference Tournament, defeating Wichita State in the championship match. Rice is making its 11th NCAA postseason appearance under head coach Elizabeth Schmidt and its second consecutive appearance.
In the Baton Rouge Regional, No. 1 seed LSU (No. 10 overall) is joined by No. 2 seed TCU, No. 3 seed Rice and No. 4 seed SFA. First-round matches are set for May 2 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., with the second round scheduled for May 3 at 2 p.m.
Rice will take on No. 20 TCU at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 2, at the LSU Tennis Complex.
BATON ROUGE HISTORY: The Owls last competed at the LSU Tennis Complex in 2024, falling to TCU, 4-1. Rice last played an NCAA Tournament match in Baton Rouge in 2021, dropping a 4-1 decision to No. 20 Michigan in the first round.
NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY: Rice is 6-14 all-time in the NCAA Tournament since 1977, with its last win coming in 2016, a 4-1 first-round victory over Clemson. Last season, the Owls earned an at-large bid and fell, 4-3, to No. 32 UC Santa Barbara in the College Station Regional.
DOUBLES SUCCESS: The Owls have secured 15 doubles points this season and are undefeated when winning the doubles point. Rice is 2-6 when dropping the doubles point. Divna Ratkovic and Francesca Maguina lead the team with five match-clinching points each, followed by Nithesa Selvaraj (4), Ema Mravcova (2) and Uma Bakaityte (1).
POSTSEASON HONORS: Rice had a strong showing in the American Conference postseason awards. Elizabeth Schmidt was named Women's Coach of the Year, while Divna Ratkovic (a unanimous selection) and Darya Schwartzman were named to the 12-player All-Conference Team. Ratkovic was also named the Conference Tournament Most Outstanding Player after clinching both the semifinal and championship matches.
VS TCU: Rice previously faced TCU this season, falling 4-0 on Feb. 1 in Fort Worth. The Owls' last win against the Horned Frogs came Feb. 6, 2019, a 6-0 victory at the George R. Brown Tennis Center.
VS LSU/SFA: The Owls are 9-12 all-time against LSU, with the most recent meeting resulting in a 4-1 loss in 2024 at the LSU Tennis Complex. Rice is 9-0 all-time against SFA, with the last matchup a 7-0 win in 2008.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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