AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn women’s tennis received recognition in two major preseason polls this week, coming in at No. 12 in the ITA national preseason rankings and No. 5 in the SEC preseason coaches’ poll. No. 12 marks the highest preseason ranking the program has received from the ITA.
“We are excited to begin our season with the highest preseason ranking the program has ever had,” said Auburn head coach Jordan Szabo. “This team has a lot of talent, but we are working every day to improve over the spring and improve our ranking. This ranking is only a starting point!”
The Tigers are higher in the preseason poll than in the final poll of the 2024 spring season. In 2024, Auburn posted a 17-11 overall record and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the fourth consecutive season to finish the year ranked No. 17 nationally by the ITA as well as the top team in the ITA Southern Region.
Auburn is featured fifth in the SEC preseason coaches’ poll behind only 2024 NCAA Championship runner-up Georgia, Texas, defending national champion Texas A&M and Florida. Last season, the Tigers went 9-4 in Southeastern Conference play which tied the fourth-best mark in the conference.
Auburn returns three players from its 2024 roster: NCAA Singles Championship runner-up DJ Bennett, 2024 All-SEC selection Angella Okutoyi and Ava Esposito. Four Tigers will begin the season nationally ranked by the ITA in singles: No. 2 Bennett, No. 22 Merna Refaat, No. 69 Ava Hrastar and No. 110 Okutoyi. In doubles, Bennett and Hrastar ended the fall ranked No. 16 while Okutoyi and Refaat ended ranked No. 97.
The Tigers will kick off their 2025 dual match schedule with a doubleheader against North Alabama and UAB on Jan. 18 at home. The first match will be played at noon CT and the second will be played at 4:30 p.m. at the Yarbrough Tennis Center.