HOUSTON, Texas – Rice captured its first American Conference women’s tennis championship Sunday, edging Wichita State 4–2 to snap the Shockers’ 19-match winning streak and earn the program’s first league title since joining the American.
 
Wichita State grabbed the opening point in a tightly contested doubles session, winning on courts two and three. Theodora Chantava and Kristina Kudryavtseva put the Shockers out front with a 6-2 victory on court two, but Rice quickly responded as Darya Schwartzman and Uma Bakaityte evened the doubles matches with a 6-4 win on court one. Anne Knuettel and Vichitraporn Vumkananda then clinched the doubles point for Wichita State with a 7-6 victory on court three.
 
The Shockers carried that momentum into singles play, as Xin Tong Wang earned a 6-3, 6-0 win on court one. It proved to be Wichita State’s lone singles victory, however, as Rice rallied to claim four of the remaining five matches.
 
Francesca Maguina ignited the comeback with a 6-2, 6-2 victory on court four, followed by Ema Mravcova’s 7-5, 6-3 win on court six. Bakaityte then pushed the Owls to the brink of the championship with a hard-fought 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 decision on court three.
 
Divna Ratkovic sealed the title on court two. After winning the opening set 6-1 and dropping the second 6-3, Ratkovic closed out the match with a 6-2 third set to deliver the championship to the Owls. Ratkovic was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.
 
With the victory, Rice earned the American Conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, marking the program’s first conference championship since 2019 and its first in the American.
 
2026 AMERICAN CONFERENCE WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP
April 16-19 | George R. Brown Tennis Center | Houston, Texas
 
First Round | Thursday, April 16 

Match 1: No. 8 UAB 4, No. 9 Temple 0

Match 2: No. 4 Tulsa 4, No. 13 East Carolina 0

Match 3: No. 12 South Florida 4, No. 5 Florida Atlantic 2

Match 4: No. 7 Tulane 4, No. 10 UTSA 1

Match 5: No. 6 North Texas 4, No. 11 Memphis 1
  Quarterfinals | Friday, April 17

Match 6: No. 1 Wichita State 4, No. 8 UAB 0
Courts 1-6

Match 7: No. 4 Tulsa 4, No. 12 South Florida 2

Match 8: No. 2 Charlotte 4, No. 7 Tulane 0

Match 9: No. 3 Rice 4, No. 6 North Texas 1
  Semifinals | Saturday, April 18

Match 10: No. 1 Wichita State 4, No. 4 Tulsa 0

Match 11: No. 3 Rice 4, No. 2 Charlotte 3
  Final | Sunday, April 19

Match 12: No. 3 Rice 4, No. 1 Wichita State 2
 
Most Outstanding Player
Divna Ratkovic, Rice