The University of Utah women’s tennis team will host Big 12 rivals West Virginia and Cincinnati at the George S. Eccles Tennis Center, according to a March 10 announcement. The Utes are currently undefeated at home with a 6-0 record and aim to extend their streak against these conference opponents.
This week’s matches are significant as Utah, ranked No. 42 in the ITA polls, looks to improve its overall season record of 8-5 and its Big 12 standing, where it is currently 1-2. The match against West Virginia is scheduled for Thursday, March 12 at 3 p.m., while the contest with Cincinnati will take place on Thursday, March 14 at 11 a.m.
West Virginia enters the matchup with a season record of 6-5 and remains winless in Big 12 play. The Mountaineers recently lost to Baylor after failing to secure the doubles point advantage. In singles play, Audrey Moutama leads West Virginia with a strong performance at the top spot.
Cincinnati holds a similar season record of 6-5 but has managed one win in conference play. The Bearcats are coming off a loss to TCU and are currently on a three-game losing streak. They will face BYU before meeting Utah later in the week.
The Utes’ roster features returning seniors Dylan Lolofie, Kaila Barksdale, and Emma Valletta; juniors Sara Akid and Emma Kamper; sophomore Hayley Roberts; as well as newcomers Emmie Moore, Kamea Medora, Andjelija Markovic, and Hailey Kerker. In their most recent outing, Utah defeated BYU with strong singles performances from Barksdale, Akid, Moore, and Kamper.
Head coach Ruth Ann Allen joined the program this past season after leading Weber State to a Big Sky Championship in 2023 and earning two consecutive Big Sky Coach of the Year honors. Allen previously spent two decades as an assistant coach at Utah and was inducted into the Utah Tennis Association Hall of Fame last year.
Looking ahead, Utah will travel to Texas Tech on March 19 before facing Colorado on March 21. The team returns home on March 26 for another conference matchup against Oklahoma State.
