The Gators’ recent success is reflected in the newest ITA rankings. Florida is now the No. 12 team in the nation and has four singles players ranked in the top 125.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida Women’s Tennis makes strides in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) rankings as they jump four spots to No. 12. With the updated rankings, the Gators also have four singles players now in the top 125.
As of March 17, the Gators have an overall record of 8-7 and a 4-2 record in conference action. Florida has posted wins against No. 63 LSU (4-0), No. 16 Tennessee (5-2), No. 13 Auburn (4-1), and No. 17 Alabama (4-0).
Rachel Gailis who has had an impressive 5-1 singles run, moved from No. 45 to rounding out the top 15. Gailis is currently on a 4-match win streak with four nationally ranked wins under her belt. The sophomore has defeated No. 83 Petra Sedlackova (Alabama), No. 29 Dasha Vidmanova (Georgia), No. 27 Sofia Cabezas (Tennessee). Gailis also secured the biggest win of her career to date with a 6-2, 6-3 straight-set win over No. 14 Carolyn Ansari (Auburn). Gailis will now enter the weekend as the 15th-ranked collegiate player.
Sara Dahlstrom also made a significant jump from her previous No. 80 ranking. The undefeated Gator in SEC play now sits at No. 52 after going 4-0 and posting wins against nationally ranked No. 29 Mia Kupres (Texas A&M) and No. 25 Alexandra Vecic (Georgia). Dahlstrom is 2-0 in ranked wins and holds a four-match win streak.
Freshman Qavia Lopez has cracked into ITA rankings after being unranked thus far into spring action. Lopez holds the No.109 spot with an 8-2 overall record and a 4-1 SEC record. Qavia is currently on a two-match win streak, with her most recent victories being against Esther Adeshina (Tennessee) and Adeline Flach (Auburn).
The journey to the top of the rankings has not been without its challenges. Florida saw tough opponents and even tougher losses during the ITA National Indoor Championships at the start of February. UF dropped three straight matches against No. 2 Stanford, No. 4 Georgia, and No. 14 Auburn. The Gators then fell to No. 13 Pepperdine just ahead of the regular season opening.
Under the guidance of its coaching staff, led by Head Coach Roland Thornqvist, the Gators have been on a relentless pursuit of excellence. Every practice session, every match, is an opportunity for growth and refinement.
NEXT UP:
The Gators’ next match will be on the road against No. 51 Arkansas on Friday at the Billingsley Tennis Center. Doubles are set to start at 4 p.m. with singles to follow.
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