FIU's Mandelikova Named Conference USA Women's Tennis Player of the Week

Senior Katerina Mandelikova earns singles honor after defeating nationally ranked opponent

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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FIU senior Katerina Mandelikova has been named the Conference USA Women's Tennis Player of the Week in singles competition. Mandelikova secured the award with a decisive victory over UCF's Daryna Shoshyna, ending Shoshyna's nine-match winning streak. This is Mandelikova's second career singles Player of the Week honor.

Why it matters

Mandelikova's success is a positive indicator for the FIU women's tennis team, which faced a tough loss against No. 25 UCF. Her win provided a crucial point and demonstrated the program's potential to compete against nationally ranked opponents. Having a consistent, high-performing player like Mandelikova is crucial for any collegiate tennis program.

The details

The senior from Ropice, Czech Republic, won in straight sets 6-0, 7-5 against Shoshyna. This marks Mandelikova's first singles Player of the Week award since February 2024 and her second overall. Her consistent dedication and improvement have clearly paid off.

  • Mandelikova won the award on February 18, 2026.
  • She previously earned a Player of the Week honor in doubles in February 2024.

The players

Katerina Mandelikova

A senior on the FIU women's tennis team, Mandelikova is from Ropice, Czech Republic and has now won two Conference USA Women's Tennis Player of the Week awards in her collegiate career.

Daryna Shoshyna

A player for the UCF women's tennis team, Shoshyna had a nine-match winning streak that was ended by Mandelikova's victory.

FIU Women's Tennis

The women's tennis team at Florida International University, which competes in Conference USA and plays its home matches at the PayCargo Tennis Center.

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What’s next

The FIU women's tennis team will return to the PayCargo Tennis Center this Saturday, February 21, to face Princeton. A win against Princeton would further solidify their position within Conference USA and demonstrate their ability to translate individual success into team victories.

The takeaway

Mandelikova's consistent dedication and improvement have paid off, as she has now earned her second career singles Player of the Week award in Conference USA. Her success is a positive sign for the FIU women's tennis program, which is showing its ability to compete against nationally ranked opponents.