ROCK HILL, SC – The UVA Wise women's tennis team has been picked to finish ninth in the South Atlantic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, conference officials announced earlier today. In addition,
Kenzy Abdelaal,
Constanca Azinhaga and
Andreea Onitoiu have been named Players to Watch.
The team tied for ninth place with Tusculum as both earned 48 points in the voting. Leading the way in the poll is Catawba, followed by Wingate and Carson-Newman.
Azinhaga is currently undefeated on the season in singles (2-0) and is 2-1 in doubles coming into the Spring. The Benedita, Portugal, native has 27 singles wins and 29 doubles wins during her career at UVA Wise.
Abdelaal is in her first playing season at UVA Wise and the sophomore from Cairo, Egypt, compiled a 3-0 singles and 2-1 doubles record in the Fall.
Onitoiu, a junior from Brasov, Romania, had a 2-1 record in singles and went 2-1 in doubles in Fall competition.
The team will open their second season under Head Coach
Alex Hunt Feb. 7-8 when they play a pair of former Mountain East Conference rivals (Fairmont State and West Virginia State) in Charleston, West Virginia.
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| 2026 SAC Women's Tennis Preseason Coaches' Poll |
| Rank |
School (first place votes) |
Points |
| 1. |
Catawba (10) |
131 |
| 2. |
Wingate (2) |
122 |
| 3. |
Carson-Newman |
108 |
| 4. |
Newberry |
98 |
| 5. |
Coker |
84 |
| 6. |
Anderson |
79 |
| 7. |
Lincoln Memorial |
77 |
| 8. |
Lenoir-Rhyne |
70 |
| 9t. |
UVA Wise |
48 |
| 9t. |
Tusculum |
48 |
| 11. |
Emory & Henry |
34 |
| 12. |
Mars Hill |
25 |
