Women's Tennis candid shot with RRAC title banner
Zora Thomas
0
LSU Alexandria LSUA (10-5)
4
Winner Xavier (LA) Xavier (LA) (18-7)
LSU Alexandria LSUA
(10-5)
0
Final
4
Xavier (LA) Xavier (LA)
(18-7)
Winner

Match Recap: Women's Tennis |

Women's Tennis wins 2026 RRAC Crown!

NEW ORLEANS - Saturday, the Gold Nuggets defeated their third-consecutive Top 25 team and staked their claim to the 2026 Red River Athletics Conference championship by virtue of a 4-0 win over No. 8 LSU Alexandria. 

This was the third time in the last four seasons that Xavier has won the RRAC crown. 

XULA (18-7), ranked No. 6 in the nation, was the No. 3 seed in the tournament and defeated No. 23 Texas A&M Texarkana, No. 14 Louisiana Christian, and the Generals en route to the title. 

The win was especially gratifying for the Gold Rush, as they had fallen in the RRAC semifinals a year ago. 

"This conference championship means a lot because last year we didn't win it, and it was one of our goals for this year," head coach Alan Green said. "We remained strong throughout the year despite some hiccups and put it all together this weekend."

The Gold Nuggets picked up the doubles point as well as singles points at No. 2, No. 3, and No. 6. 

In doubles action, the No. 1 pair of Maja Brnic and McKenna Wheatley defeated Nahia Echaide and Lucie Ivanova 7-5, and the No. 2 pair of Ana Sabikova and Makai Sales defeated Ekaterina Orlova and Valeria Diaz 6-3. 

Wheatley, a senior, made the most of her last RRAC appearance, picking up a 7-6(4),6-0 win over Isabella Stuurman at No. 2.

Sabikova claimed the No. 3 match with a 6-0, 6-2 win over Ivanova, and Asadah Ma'at defeated Esthella Valentina Gonzalez Saiza 6-4, 6-1 at No. 6. 

To say that the Gold Nuggets are seasoned when it comes to high-pressure matches might be an understatement. 

Not only did they defeat three consecutive Top 25 teams to win the tournament, but they've also played an opponent who was either nationally ranked or receiving votes in the national polls in 20 of their 25 matches, which does not count four additional matches against ranked or vote-receiving teams that were scheduled but canceled. 

"I want to prepare this team and challenge them as much as possible," Green said. "The ultimate goal is the Red Banner. This schedule represents the caliber of teams you have to face in Mobile (site of the NAIA championships). So when we get there, it will not be a culture shock to us."

Xavier will next participate in the NAIA national tournament, the seeding for which will be announced on April 28. 
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