TOPEKA, Kan. -- No. 17 Washburn enters the NCAA Tournament as the No. 3 seed in the Central Region where they will face the No. 6 seed Arkansas Tech for the first time in program history at 11 a.m. on Friday, May 8 in Edmond, Okla.
FIRST SERVE
- No. 17 Washburn women's tennis enters the NCAA Tournament for the 22nd time in program history as the No. 3 seed in the Central Region Tournament where they will face the No. 6 seed Arkansas Tech in the semifinal round.
- The Ichabods will face the Golden Suns in Edmond, Okla. beginning at 11 a.m. on Friday, May 8 at Edmond Center Court.
- Washburn fell to 18-4 overall losing 0-4 to No. 33 Central Oklahoma in the MIAA Tournament Championship match last time out on May 3.
BODS AND BITS
- Washburn's 2025-26 roster features six returners from a season ago with three new incoming freshmen to round out the roster.
- The Ichabods are ranked No. 17 in the latest ITA poll.
- Washburn was picked to finish first in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll.
- The Ichabods are is coming off a 17-4 season where they went 8-1 in the MIAA to win a share of the MIAA Regular Season Championship. They qualified for the NCAA Tournament for a 21st time in program history.
- So far on the year Washburn is 7-0 when playing at home 7-2 on the road and 4-2 in neutral court matches.
- The Ichabods are 6-3 against ranked opponents this season.
TOURNAMENT TIME!
- Washburn has a 10-16 record all-time in the NCAA Regional Tournament.
- The Ichabods are looking to advance to the NCAA National Tournament for the fifth time in program history.
- A win on Friday would set up a dual on Saturday, May 9 at 10 a.m. against the No. 2 seed in the region and host Central Oklahoma.
AROUND THE RANKINGS
SINGLES SETUP
- So far on the season Washburn has gone 146-44 (76.8%) in singles matches.
- After winning the ITA Central Region Championship, Renske Ubachs leads the team with a 27-6 singles record and is 15-4 playing at No. 1.
- Riko Konno has gone 22-6 on the year to begin her freshman season. She is 13-5 in duals and is 12-4 at No. 2 with a 2-2 record against ranked opponents.
- Daniela Tijaro has compiled a 20-10 record in singles play. She is 13-7 in duals overall and 12-5 playing at No. 3.
- Saajida Razick has a 19-5 mark in singles play overall while going 12-4 in duals. She has played between No. 2 and No. 5 with a 4-2 mark at No. 4.
- Jasel Bailey is 22-4 overall in singles with a 16-3 mark in duals. She has gone 9-3 playing at No. 4 and 7-0 on court five.
- Mariana Silva Balsa is 8-4 on the year in singles play all in duals. She is 5-3 at No. 6.
- Charlotte Bair is 15-4 on the year in singles play and has gone 6-1 at the six spot in singles.
- Maddie Shelley has a 7-1 record in singles play and has gone 2-1 in duals.
- Peyton Koper is 3-4 on the singles side to open the season.
DOUBLES DOWNLOAD
- The Ichabods have gone 68-23 (74.7%) on the year in doubles matches this season.
- Jasel Bailey and Saajida Razick have the most doubles victories of any duo going 13-6 together this season, all in duals. They have a 8-3 record at No. 1 and are 1-2 against ranked opponents.
- Daneila Tijaro and Mariana Silva Balsa are 10-4 together, all in duals, and are 9-3 playing at No. 2.
- Renske Ubachs and Riko Konno are 7-2 together this season playing at all three spots. They are 4-0 at No. 3.
- Daniela Tijaro has a team-high 22 doubles victories, Jasel Bailey is just behind with 21 victories.
LAST TIME OUT
Central Oklahoma 4, Washburn 0 (May 3, 2026)
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- No. 17 Washburn fell 4-0 to No. 33 Central Oklahoma in the MIAA Championship on Sunday morning, ending an eight-match winning streak. The Ichabods will await their NCAA Tournament seeding in the selection show on Monday night.
The Bronchos (18-3) took an early edge in doubles as No. 7 ranked Mei Hasegawa and Pete Komada defeated No. 40 Jasel Bailey and Saajida Razick 6-2 on the top court. Mariana Silva Balsa and Daniela Tijaro led early in their dual on court two but the final four games went for Central Oklahoma to win 6-3 and clinch the doubles point. Washburn (18-4) was close to winning on court three as Riko Konno and Renske Ubachs led 5-4 when the point was decided.
Singles play began with the Bronchos adding another point on court four as Jasel Bailey fell in two sets, 3-6 and 1-6. No. 31 Renske Ubachs got out to a quick start in her dual with No. 20 Mei Hasegawa but fell 3-6 in the first set and was on the wrong end of a 2-6 result in the second as Central Oklahoma moved up 3-0.
The match came to an end on No. 6 as Mariana Silva Balsa fell in a pair of back-and-forth 4-6 sets that clinched the title for the Bronchos. Riko Konno led one set to none and trailed 5-6 in her dual at No. 2 when the match was decided. Daniela Tijaro trailed 3-4 in the third on court three and Saajida Razick was about to begin her third point when the fourth point was recorded.
HEAD COACH KIRBY RONNING
- Ronning is in year six as the head coach of the men's and women's tennis teams at Washburn
- Has led both teams to the NCAA Tournament in every season at the helm with a 212-68 combined record with Washburn.
- Has been named the ITA Central Region Coach of the Year four times and the MIAA Coach of the Year twice.
- Prior to joining the Ichabods Ronning spent four seasons as the assistant coach at Azusa Pacific from 2016-2022.
- As a player, he played for four years at Bethel University (Minn.). Ronning received his bachelor's degree in Business from Bethel in 2014 and earned his master's degree in Physical Education at Azusa Pacific in May 2020.
THE ASSISTANTS
- Kurt Reid enters year seven as a volunteer assistant coach for the Ichabods. Reid started his collegiate tennis career at Tulsa (1977-78) before transferring to Washburn for the 1978-79 season.
- A Topeka-native, Reid played tennis at Topeka West High School and was elected to the Topeka West Sports Hall of Fame in 2015.
- Graduate assistant Santiago Renton is entering his 2nd season as part of the Washburn coaching staff.
- He moved from playing to the sidelines after wrapping up three seasons with the Ichabods headlined by an ITA Cup Doubles National Championship in fall of 2023.
- Maja Jung also is entering year two on the coaching staff as a graduate assistant for the women's program.
- Jung was an All-American in both singles and doubles and is 2nd in program history in career victories.
OPPONENT QUICK SCOUT
ABOUT THE ARKANSAS TECH GOLDEN SUNS
- Arkansas Tech improved to 12-7 overall after defeating Henderson State 4-3 to win the GAC Tournament Championship on May 3.
- Last season the Golden Suns went 5-14 overall and 0-5 in the GAC, falling in the first round of the conference tournament.
- This year they are 1-4 playing at home at the Chartwells Women's Sports Complex, 4-2 on the road and 7-1 in neutral court matches.
- Arkansas Tech is 62-41 (60.2%) on the year in singles duals.
- Nayara Alvarez leads the team with a 12-5 singles record, she has gone 7-4 playing at No. 6.
- The Golden Suns are 25-22 (53.2%) in doubles duals this season.
- Rebecca Arnold and Elis Gergel are ranked No. 29 in the nation in doubles this season.
- Arnold and Gergel are 6-1 playing together this season, all at No. 1.
GOLDEN SUNS COACHING STAFF
- Shaun Wiseman is in his 4th season as the head women's tennis coach at Arkansas Tech.
- The return to his alma mater came nine years after his initial stint as a college coach at nearby University of the Ozarks in Clarksville where he served as the head men's and women's tennis coach from 2008-2014.
- Following his time at Ozarks, Wiseman spent three years as the Director of Tennis/Facilities at Burns Park in North Little Rock
- Most-recently, Wiseman has worked as a probation officer for Arkansas Community Corrections.
HISTORY WITH ARKANSAS TECH
- Friday's meeting will be the first ever match between the two teams.
MILESTONE MARKERS
- Maddie Shelley is two career singles victories away from reaching 40.
- Daniela Tijaro needs one doubles victory to reach 50 in her career.
- Jasel Bailey needs five singles victories to reach 50 in her career.
