Seven teams enter the UAA Championship nationally ranked with each of the top five seeds ranked among the top 20 teams in NCAA Division III. The championship runs Thursday through Sunday in Altamonte Springs, FL at Sanlando Park.
Top-seeded and top-ranked Emory University (20-4) seeks its fourth consecutive Association title and 27th in the 29-year history of the tournament. The national runner-ups from last season have suffered only one loss to a NCAA Division III opponent, a 5-4 loss to seventh-ranked Middlebury. The Eagles have defeated four top-10 Division III teams, including a 5-4 win over defending NCAA champion and then top-ranked Williams.
Second-seeded Carnegie Mellon University (14-5, No. 9 ranking) has finished as the runner-up the past three years at the UAA championship. The Tartans have posted a 7-4 mark against Division III ranked teams this season with eight matches against top-20 opponents and enter the championship on a six-match winning streak.
Third-seeded Washington University (13-7, No. 12 ranking) played 16 of its 18 Division III matches against ranked opponents, winning nine with five victories coming against top-20 teams.
Fourth-seeded University of Chicago (9-4, No. 16 ranking) posted 6-2 record against ranked teams in Division III, including a 6-3 win over the Bears late in the season.
Fifth-seeded Case Western Reserve University (12-4, No. 20 ranking) won six matches against Division III opponents ranked between 23rd and 36th, while also earning a thrilling 5-4 win over host Chicago in its last regular season match.
Sixth-ranked NYU (8-2, No. 29 ranking) is nationally ranked this season for the first time in program history. The Violets played five ranked squads and finished 2-1 against UAA opponents in the regular season, defeating Brandeis and Rochester.
Seventh-ranked Brandeis University (8-7, No. 30 ranking) faced seven ranked Division III opponents and heads into the UAA tournament having won five of its last six matches.
Eighth-seeded University of Rochester (6-8) split its final six matches, winning three by a combined 26-1 score and dropping two 5-4 matches.
Team-By-Team Preview
#1 Emory: Three Eagles are ranked in the Atlantic South Region in singles, including second-ranked Bridget Harding, who is 13-5 at No. 1 singles and has teamed with Katarina Su for 10 consecutive doubles wins, nine of which have come at No. 2 doubles. Harding earned UAA Rookie of the Year honors in 2015. First-year player Taylor Cosme, who leads the team with 25 singles victories and is 10-2 at No. 3 singles, is ranked third in the region. Junior Michelle Satterfield is ranked 10th regionally and has won three consecutive matches at No. 2 singles against ranked teams. Beatrice Rosen is 9-3 at No. 4 singles. Madison Gordon has won 15 consecutive matches, while posting a 3-0 mark at No. 5 and 7-0 record at No. 6 singles. The doubles teams of Daniela Lopez and Anna Fuhr (No. 1 doubles) and Su and Harding are ranked second and ninth, respectively, in the region.
#2 Carnegie Mellon: The Tartans, who are ranked second in the Atlantic South Region behind the Eagles, feature regionally ranked players at No. 1 and No. 2. Brooke Tsu (No. 1) is ranked sixth in the region and has won three consecutive matches, while Nicholle Torres (No. 2) is ranked seventh regionally and enters the tournament on a five-match winning streak. Cori Sidell has won seven matches at No. 3 singles and is ranked 22nd in the region. She and Minami Makino are ranked fifth in the Atlantic South in doubles, while the No. 2 doubles combination of Tsu and rookie Jamie Vizelman is ranked 10th regionally and riding a six-match winning streak. Marina Selenica has won six consecutive matches, including a 4-0 mark at No. 6 singles.
#3 Washington: Junior Rebecca Ho is the top-ranked player in the Central Region for the second time in as many years heading into the UAA championship weekend. Ho has won nine consecutive matches and is 15-4 at No. 1 singles and 9-4 against nationally ranked opponents. Senior Jamie Silverberg (No. 2 singles, No. 1 doubles) is ranked 18th in the region in singles and seventh in doubles with sophomore Grace Deering. Rookie Lisa Chionis has put together a combined 9-2 mark at No. 5 and No. 6 singles. The veteran tandem of Aly Coran and Kaylan Griffith has won six of nine matches at No. 3 doubles.
#4 Chicago: Three Maroons are ranked in singles in the Central Region, headlined by second-ranked sophomore Ariana Iranpour, who has posted an 18-8 record this season. Rachel Kim is ranked 12th in the region and sports a 9-4 record at No. 2 singles, including eight wins in her past 10 matches. Lucy Tang is 7-2 at No. 3 singles and is ranked 21st in the Central Region. Tiffany Chen has won five consecutive matches, nine of her past 10, and she has registered an 8-1 mark at No. 5 singles. Kim and Tang are the third-ranked doubles in the region with a 7-4 mark at No. 1 doubles.
#5 Case Western Reserve: The Spartans are led by youth at the top two spots in singles with sophomore Nithya Kanagasegar and rookie Jessica Liu, who are ranked seventh and 20th, respectively, in the Central Region. Kanagasegar and senior Sara Zargham are ranked eight regionally in doubles. Zargham recently returned to action after recovering from illness and earned the clinching point in a three-set match at No. 6 singles against UAA rival Chicago. Senior Surya Khadilkar, who became the program's all-time leader in singles and doubles victories this season, holds a 13-2 singles mark and an 8-2 mark at No. 2 doubles with classmate Michelle Djohan.
#6 NYU: The Violets' top three players in singles have recorded a combined mark of 25-1 at No. 1, 2, and 3. Senior Carmen Lai is 9-1 at No. 1 singles and 18-2 overall, while first-year player Flyora Shiyanova is 8-0 at No. 2 doubles and 14-1 overall. Lai and Shiyanova are ranked 17th and 25th, respectively, in the Northeast Region. The combination is ranked 14th regionally in doubles with a 6-2 record at No. 1. Rookie Vanessa Scott has won all 15 of her matches this season, winning all eight of her contests at No. 3 singles. Scott has teamed up with a pair of teammates for a combined 7-1 record at No. 2 doubles.
#7 Brandeis: The Judges are a young team with first-year players leading the way. Rookie Keren Khromchenko has posted a 7-3 mark at No. 3 singles with classmate Michele Lehat going undefeated in five matches at four different singles spots. Sophomore Haley Cohen plays No. 1 singles and has teamed with first-year player Olivia Leavitt for six victories at No. 1 doubles. The No. 2 doubles team of Charlotte Aaron and Sophia He have won eight of 11 matches this season.
#8 Rochester: The doubles team of senior Christine Ho and first-year player Camila Garcia is 16-7 overall this season and 10-4 at No. 1 doubles. They enter the UAA championship ranked seventh in the Northeast Region. Sophomore Alex Wolkoff has won five of six matches at No. 4 singles and has teamed with junior Lauren Zickar for a 5-4 record at No. 2 doubles. Junior Darby McCall has won seven consecutive matches, including a 3-0 record at No. 5 singles.