🎾 Kansas Selected to NCAA Tournament, to Play Charlotte in First Round
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Ranked No. 25 in the country, Kansas women’s tennis was selected to the 2023 NCAA Tournament, marking Kansas 13th NCAA Tournament all-time. The Jayhawks will travel to Raleigh, North Carolina to take on Charlotte (22-6) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday, May 5 at 1 p.m. CT.
“I think we’re battle tested, we’ve played some really good teams,” head coach Todd Chapman said. “Our conference and non-conference schedules have prepared us so now its just about going out and executing and doing the best you can.”
This year’s tournament appearance marks the sixth time the Jayhawks have been selected for the NCAA Tournament under head coach Todd Chapman and the 13th time in program history. Kansas appeared in last year’s NCAA Tournament in Stanford, California, where the Jayhawks fell in the first round to UC-Santa Barbara, 4-3.
The winner of Friday’s match between Kansas and Charlotte will take on the winner of No. 3 NC State (23-4) and South Carolina State (12-7).
Kansas enters is 13th NCAA Tournament with a 14-7 overall record, highlighted by ranked wins over #75 Missouri, #44 SMU, #22 Old Dominion, #62 West Virginia, #53 Baylor and #68 Tulsa. The Jayhawks finished the season with a 4-6 record in Big 12 Conference play, 8-3 record at home, 5-2 on the road and 1-2 in neutral matches.
Following the conclusion of the Big 12 Championship, Kansas’ Malkia Ngounoue and Heike Janse Van Vuuren earned All-Big 12 honors with Ngounoue named All-Big 12 First Team in singles, the pair was named All-Big 12 Second Team in doubles and Van Vuuren earned All-Freshman Team honors.
Ngounoue led the Jayhawks on No. 1 singles with a 12-6 dual record during the 2023 season. Redshirt sophomore Maria Titova played on No. 2 singles with a 7-6 record, while Roxana Manu compiled a 10-6 record in No. 3 singles.
Ngounoue and Van Vuuren partnered to an 11-5 dual record at No. 1 doubles during the 2023 season, including 5-2 in conference play. Titova and freshman Tamari Gagoshidze paired for a 6-9 dual record at No. 2 doubles.
Charlotte enters its first NCAA Tournament appearance after a 22-6 record during the 2023 season. Coached by head coach Anthony Davidson, the 49ers won 146 singles matches throughout the 2023 season, along with 83 doubles matches, the most in program history.
After the Regional Championships, Super Regional play will commence to determine the eight teams who will earn their spot into the NCAA National Championships which will be held at the USTA National Campus from May 17-27.
