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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Thursday, April 2
Oxford, Miss.
4 p.m.
Ole Miss
vs
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Mississippi State
Women’s Tennis to Face Mississippi State and Alabama for Last Home Conference Matches
4/1/2026 | Women's Tennis
OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss women's tennis to continue its home stand with matches against in-state rival No. 51 Mississippi State, followed by No. 44 Alabama.
The Rebels (9-9, 3-8 SEC) look to end a two-match slide after falling to No. 2 Texas A&M and No. 6 Texas this past weekend.
Although the Rebels lost both matches, there were a few bright spots, including the Rebels taking the doubles point against Texas. Additionally, Emily Welker and Andrea Nova put up a pair of strong performances in doubles over the weekend, for they were able to secure their first top ten ranking as doubles partners, with them being at No. 9.
No. 51 Mississippi State (15-8, 3-8 SEC) will be coming to town for its match on Thursday, April 2, at 4 p.m.
The Bulldogs have been a competitive team in the SEC this season, defeating Kentucky, Missouri and No. 53 Arkansas. Additionally, the Bulldogs were able to take down No. 55 Georgia Tech on the road in non-conference play.
Ole Miss has won the last seven matches versus Mississippi State, with the Bulldogs' last victory coming in 2017.
No. 44 Alabama (12-7, 4-7 SEC) will be in Oxford on Saturday, April 4, for a 10 a.m. match.
The Crimson Tide has solidified its position as a respectable team this season, with wins against No. 51 Mississippi State, Kentucky, Missouri and No. 55 Arkansas in SEC play. They also gave No. 11 Vanderbilt a scare, narrowly losing 4-3.
The last time Alabama came to Oxford in 2024, the Rebels won 5-2.
THE REBELS
Riley Crowder (Fr.) – Dothan, Alabama
- No. 1 recruit out of Alabama in 2025 class
- 2022 USTA Alabama State Junior and Southern Junior Player of the Year
- Ranked as high No. 167 in the ITF World Junior circuit
-Compiled a 6-3 record in singles and 5-4 record in doubles in the Fall of 2025
Ichino Horikawa (Sr.) – Kyoto, Japan
- Posted a career-high ITF Junior ranking of No. 173
- Secured the deciding match point in Ole Miss' upset of No.4 LSU
-Compiled a 7-6 record in singles and 7-6 record in doubles in the Fall of 2025
Andrea Nova (Jr.) – Prague, Czechia
- Went 13-12 in singles and 12-14 in doubles during her sophomore campaign
- Helped the Rebels reach the 2025 NCAA Tournament
-Along with Welker, reached the round of 16 at the 2025 NCAA Doubles Championship
Brooklyn Olson (So.) – Kansas City, Kansas
- Went 4-0 in dual singles matches in 2025
- Overall singles record of 10-8
- Blue Chip five-star recruit
Alice Soulié (So.) – Angers, France
- Paced the team in dual victories with 12 in 2025, also adding nine wins in doubles
- Nine of her wins came against conference opponents in 2025, also tops for the team
- Clinched the match-winning point against No. 13 Texas to give Ole Miss its biggest upset of the 2024-25 season
- The Soulié/Welker duo defeated Georgia's then-No. 75 tandem of Aysegul Mert and Hayden Mulberry
Emily Welker (Gr.) – Limbach-Oberfrohna, Saxony, Germany
- Ranked No. 6 in ITA singles at the end of the 2025 Fall season
- Reached the NCAA Singles Championship Semifinals in 2025, defeating opponents ranked Nos. 106, 88, 45 and 26
-Along with Nova, reached the round of 16 at the 2025 NCAA Doubles Championship
Owen Wilkinson (Fr.) – Oxford, Mississippi
- Top-ranked recruit in her class out of Mississippi, according to Tennis Recruiting Network
- Won two consecutive MHSAA Class 6A state titles in girls' singles in 2022 and 2023
Beatrice Stagno (Fr.) – Milan, Italy
-Career-high ITF Singles Ranking of 124
RANKINGS
Team:
No. 44 – Alabama
No. 45 – Ole Miss
No. 51 – Mississippi State
Singles:
No. 18 – Emily Welker (Ole Miss)
No. 71 – Kristina Paskauskas (Alabama)
No. 73 – Klara Milievic (Alabama)
No 118 – Karla Bartel (Alabama)
Doubles:
No. 9 – Andrea Nova and Emily Welker (Ole Miss)
No. 20 – Charlotte Kempenaers-Pocz and Chiara Di Genova (MSU)
No. 32 - Charlotte Kempenaers-Pocz and Gianna Oboniye (MSU)
No. 52 – Athina Pitta and Gianna Oboniye (MSU)
RETURNING REBELS
After graduating four seniors from the previous year's team, all five remaining players will remain at Ole Miss for the 2025-26 campaign. This season marks Emma Kette's fourth year with the program, as well as Andrea Nova's third year. Among those returning from last season, Nova leads with 13 wins this past spring. Emily Welker started a majority of matches at court 1 for the Rebels in 2025. Alice Soulié led the team with nine conference wins this past season.
FRESH FACES
The Rebels brought in three freshmen this offseason to round out the remainder of the roster. Riley Crowder joins the team as the No. 1 recruit coming out of Alabama this past recruiting cycle. Additionally, Owen Wilkinson will come in as the No. 1 recruit coming out of Mississippi, boasting two MHSAA Class 6A titles in girls' singles at nearby Oxford High School. Ichino Horikawa comes to Ole Miss by way of Japan after posting a career-high ITF Junior ranking of No. 173.
FOLLOW THE REBELS ON SOCIAL
For more information on Ole Miss Women's Tennis, follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissWTennis, on Facebook at OleMissWTennis and on Instagram at OleMissWTennis. Also, follow Coach Roberts on Twitter, @gdrob91.
The Rebels (9-9, 3-8 SEC) look to end a two-match slide after falling to No. 2 Texas A&M and No. 6 Texas this past weekend.
Although the Rebels lost both matches, there were a few bright spots, including the Rebels taking the doubles point against Texas. Additionally, Emily Welker and Andrea Nova put up a pair of strong performances in doubles over the weekend, for they were able to secure their first top ten ranking as doubles partners, with them being at No. 9.
No. 51 Mississippi State (15-8, 3-8 SEC) will be coming to town for its match on Thursday, April 2, at 4 p.m.
The Bulldogs have been a competitive team in the SEC this season, defeating Kentucky, Missouri and No. 53 Arkansas. Additionally, the Bulldogs were able to take down No. 55 Georgia Tech on the road in non-conference play.
Ole Miss has won the last seven matches versus Mississippi State, with the Bulldogs' last victory coming in 2017.
No. 44 Alabama (12-7, 4-7 SEC) will be in Oxford on Saturday, April 4, for a 10 a.m. match.
The Crimson Tide has solidified its position as a respectable team this season, with wins against No. 51 Mississippi State, Kentucky, Missouri and No. 55 Arkansas in SEC play. They also gave No. 11 Vanderbilt a scare, narrowly losing 4-3.
The last time Alabama came to Oxford in 2024, the Rebels won 5-2.
THE REBELS
Riley Crowder (Fr.) – Dothan, Alabama
- No. 1 recruit out of Alabama in 2025 class
- 2022 USTA Alabama State Junior and Southern Junior Player of the Year
- Ranked as high No. 167 in the ITF World Junior circuit
-Compiled a 6-3 record in singles and 5-4 record in doubles in the Fall of 2025
Ichino Horikawa (Sr.) – Kyoto, Japan
- Posted a career-high ITF Junior ranking of No. 173
- Secured the deciding match point in Ole Miss' upset of No.4 LSU
-Compiled a 7-6 record in singles and 7-6 record in doubles in the Fall of 2025
Andrea Nova (Jr.) – Prague, Czechia
- Went 13-12 in singles and 12-14 in doubles during her sophomore campaign
- Helped the Rebels reach the 2025 NCAA Tournament
-Along with Welker, reached the round of 16 at the 2025 NCAA Doubles Championship
Brooklyn Olson (So.) – Kansas City, Kansas
- Went 4-0 in dual singles matches in 2025
- Overall singles record of 10-8
- Blue Chip five-star recruit
Alice Soulié (So.) – Angers, France
- Paced the team in dual victories with 12 in 2025, also adding nine wins in doubles
- Nine of her wins came against conference opponents in 2025, also tops for the team
- Clinched the match-winning point against No. 13 Texas to give Ole Miss its biggest upset of the 2024-25 season
- The Soulié/Welker duo defeated Georgia's then-No. 75 tandem of Aysegul Mert and Hayden Mulberry
Emily Welker (Gr.) – Limbach-Oberfrohna, Saxony, Germany
- Ranked No. 6 in ITA singles at the end of the 2025 Fall season
- Reached the NCAA Singles Championship Semifinals in 2025, defeating opponents ranked Nos. 106, 88, 45 and 26
-Along with Nova, reached the round of 16 at the 2025 NCAA Doubles Championship
Owen Wilkinson (Fr.) – Oxford, Mississippi
- Top-ranked recruit in her class out of Mississippi, according to Tennis Recruiting Network
- Won two consecutive MHSAA Class 6A state titles in girls' singles in 2022 and 2023
Beatrice Stagno (Fr.) – Milan, Italy
-Career-high ITF Singles Ranking of 124
RANKINGS
Team:
No. 44 – Alabama
No. 45 – Ole Miss
No. 51 – Mississippi State
Singles:
No. 18 – Emily Welker (Ole Miss)
No. 71 – Kristina Paskauskas (Alabama)
No. 73 – Klara Milievic (Alabama)
No 118 – Karla Bartel (Alabama)
Doubles:
No. 9 – Andrea Nova and Emily Welker (Ole Miss)
No. 20 – Charlotte Kempenaers-Pocz and Chiara Di Genova (MSU)
No. 32 - Charlotte Kempenaers-Pocz and Gianna Oboniye (MSU)
No. 52 – Athina Pitta and Gianna Oboniye (MSU)
RETURNING REBELS
After graduating four seniors from the previous year's team, all five remaining players will remain at Ole Miss for the 2025-26 campaign. This season marks Emma Kette's fourth year with the program, as well as Andrea Nova's third year. Among those returning from last season, Nova leads with 13 wins this past spring. Emily Welker started a majority of matches at court 1 for the Rebels in 2025. Alice Soulié led the team with nine conference wins this past season.
FRESH FACES
The Rebels brought in three freshmen this offseason to round out the remainder of the roster. Riley Crowder joins the team as the No. 1 recruit coming out of Alabama this past recruiting cycle. Additionally, Owen Wilkinson will come in as the No. 1 recruit coming out of Mississippi, boasting two MHSAA Class 6A titles in girls' singles at nearby Oxford High School. Ichino Horikawa comes to Ole Miss by way of Japan after posting a career-high ITF Junior ranking of No. 173.
FOLLOW THE REBELS ON SOCIAL
For more information on Ole Miss Women's Tennis, follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissWTennis, on Facebook at OleMissWTennis and on Instagram at OleMissWTennis. Also, follow Coach Roberts on Twitter, @gdrob91.
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