MIDDLETOWN, CT. -  Entering the NCAA Tournament for the 10^th time, the No. 6 Wesleyan women's tennis team will be making their ninth-straight appearance as they debut in the Second Round after a bye to face Stevens Institute of Technology on Friday morning, May 9, at 10 a.m. in Pittsburgh, PA., at host No. 11 Carnegie Mellon University.

2025 NCAA Tournament Bracket

The 18-3 Cardinals return to the NCAA Tournament for a chip on their shoulders following their defeat to the University of Chicago in the 2024 NCAA Championship. Named the NCAA National Champions in 2019, the Cardinals have reached the Elite 8 in six-straight seasons and will debut after a First Round bye.

The Cardinals ran a 9-1 campaign through the NESCAC, one of the toughest conferences in the country as the NESCAC boasts Wesleyan, No. 8 Bowdoin, No. 10 Amherst, and No. 3 Middlebury among the nationally ranked tournament contenders. Of the three losses the Cardinals faced, two were at the hands of Middlebury during the regular season and NESCAC Finals and No. 2 Emory in the season opener.

As they open NCAA play, the Cardinals lead off their lineup with #2 Jackie Soloveychik, #6 Lane Durkin, and #35 Sarah Youngberg. Youngberg has powered through the season leading this group of underclassmen as the lineup is anchored with nuclear players at all six positions.

Awaiting the Cardinals in the Second Round are the 12-7 Stevens Ducks. Facing Scranton in the First Round, the Ducks swept the Royals 4-0. Pocketing wins at No. 1 and No. 3 doubles, the Ducks went on to fleece the Royals at No. 2, No. 3, and No. 6 singles. The Ducks won the program's fourth MAC Freedom title in a row after sweeping Lebanon Valley and pocketed several top awards for their efforts. Alix Dry was named Player of the Year, Milagros Carbajal Diaz was Rookie of the Year, and head coach Arik Zeevy earned Coach of the Year honors.

Winning to see another day within the bracket is No. 45, 19-4 Ohio Northern. The Polar Bears advanced to the Second Round after a 4-0 sweep of Allegheny in the first day of action. The Polar Bears earned the doubles point with wins at No. 2 and No. 3 before securing their victory at No. 2, No. 3 and No. 6. Securing their bid to the tournament, the Polar Bears won their second-straight OAC title with a sweep of John Carroll. Five Polar Bears on the roster boast 15 or more singles victories and are led by Abby Cruser (25-5) at No. 3.

Set to take on the Polar Bears in the Second Round is No. 11 Carnegie Mellon. The Tartans hold a standing 22-4 record as they prepare to play to the Bears, making the program's 19^th appearance in the NCAA Tournament. After rolling through eight nationally ranked opponents this season, the Tartans advanced out of the First Round with a sweep of Penn St. – Behrend. The Tartans snagged an early point with doubles wins at No. 2 and No. 3 before settling into the win with victories at No. 1, No. 5, and No. 6. After finishing fourth at the UAA Championships, Shelly Zinchenko was named UAA Rookie of the Year. Zinchenko, ranked 16^th overall, leads the team with a 30-6 overall record, running 20-3 at No. 1.

The winner in Sunday's Third Round match will proceed to the NCAA Championship rounds (Quarterfinal, Semifinal, Final) held at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in Claremont, CA., on May 20-23.