Texas' Anastasia Abbagnato Named SEC Women's Tennis Freshman of the Week

Abbagnato's strong performance helped lead the Longhorns to wins over ranked opponents Vanderbilt and Duke.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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The Southeastern Conference (SEC) announced that Texas women's tennis player Anastasia Abbagnato has been named the SEC Women's Tennis Freshman of the Week. Abbagnato posted a combined 5-1 singles and doubles record, including four ranked victories, to help the Longhorns defeat No. 12 Vanderbilt and No. 12 Duke after a narrow loss to No. 6 Oklahoma.

Why it matters

This recognition highlights the impressive start to Abbagnato's collegiate career and the strength of the Texas women's tennis program. As a freshman, Abbagnato has already proven herself against top competition in the SEC, a testament to her talent and the Longhorns' ability to develop young players.

The details

Abbagnato's singles wins came at the No. 2 position, with victories over No. 12 Julia Garcia Ruiz of Oklahoma, No. 40 Bridget Stammel of Vanderbilt, and No. 120 Liv Hovde of Duke. Her win over Stammel clinched the overall match against Vanderbilt, while her victory over Hovde gave Texas its first lead against Duke at 3-2.

  • On Wednesday, the SEC announced Abbagnato as the Women's Tennis Freshman of the Week.
  • Abbagnato's performance helped lead Texas to wins over No. 12 Vanderbilt and No. 12 Duke after a narrow 4-3 defeat to No. 6 Oklahoma at the ITA National Indoor Championships.

The players

Anastasia Abbagnato

A standout freshman on the Texas women's tennis team who was named the SEC Women's Tennis Freshman of the Week.

Texas Longhorns

The women's tennis program at the University of Texas, which has seen strong performances from its young players like Abbagnato.

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What they’re saying

“Abbagnato posted a combined 5-1 singles and doubles record, including four ranked victories with three in singles and one in doubles. Her play helped lead Texas to two top-12 team wins over No. 12 Vanderbilt (4-1) and No. Duke (4-3) after a narrow 4-3 defeat to No. 6 Oklahoma at the ITA National Indoor Championships.”

— Texas Athletics (burntorangenation.com)

The takeaway

Anastasia Abbagnato's impressive start to her collegiate career, including her recognition as SEC Women's Tennis Freshman of the Week, demonstrates the depth and talent of the Texas women's tennis program. As a young player, Abbagnato has already proven herself against top competition, foreshadowing a bright future for both her and the Longhorns.