Lady Tops Earn No. 8 Seed for CUSA Tennis Championship

Western Kentucky women's tennis team to face No. 9 Sam Houston in opening round

Apr. 14, 2026 at 12:08am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a women's tennis match, with overlapping planes of color and form representing the dynamic action on the court.The Lady Toppers' quest for a CUSA championship will require navigating a challenging tournament field, with each match a complex puzzle of strategy and skill.Murfreesboro Today

The Western Kentucky University women's tennis team has earned the No. 8 seed in the upcoming 2026 Conference USA Women's Tennis Championship, which will take place from April 16-19 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The Lady Toppers will open play against No. 9 seed Sam Houston State in the first round on Wednesday.

Why it matters

This marks the second time in program history that the Lady Toppers have won at least 10 matches in five consecutive seasons, showcasing the consistent success of the team over the past several years. The CUSA Championship represents an opportunity for WKU to compete against the top programs in the conference and potentially earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The details

WKU finished the regular season with an 11-13 overall record and a 2-2 mark against CUSA opponents. The Lady Toppers are coming off a 4-2 Senior Day victory over Middle Tennessee last Thursday, where they earned the doubles point and picked up singles wins at the No. 3, 4 and 5 positions. WKU previously lost to Sam Houston 5-2 in a regular season matchup on March 12 in Bowling Green.

  • The 2026 Conference USA Women's Tennis Championship will take place from April 16-19 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
  • WKU will face Sam Houston State in the first round on Wednesday, April 16 at 10 a.m. CT.

The players

Greg Davis

Head coach of the Western Kentucky women's tennis team.

Virginia Madueño

WKU women's tennis player who won her singles match at the No. 3 position in the team's Senior Day victory over Middle Tennessee.

Barbara Olvera

WKU women's tennis player who won her singles match at the No. 4 position in the team's Senior Day victory over Middle Tennessee.

Ariadna Fernandez

WKU women's tennis player who won her singles match at the No. 5 position in the team's Senior Day victory over Middle Tennessee.

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What they’re saying

“'Had a very close match with Sam Houston at our place in March and we know they will be a very difficult match in the conference championship.'”

— Greg Davis, WKU women's tennis coach

What’s next

The quarterfinal matches of the CUSA Women's Tennis Championship are scheduled to be played on Thursday, April 17, with the semifinals on Friday, April 18 and the championship match on Saturday, April 19. The semifinals and final will be streamed live on ESPN+.

The takeaway

The Lady Toppers' consistent success over the past five seasons, including winning at least 10 matches in each of those years, has earned them a spot in the CUSA Championship tournament. While they face a tough opening-round matchup against Sam Houston, the team has an opportunity to make a deep run and potentially earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.