ITA Tennis Championships
Top Collegiate Tennis Players Prepare for the 2026 ITA All-American Championships
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Key Points
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South Carolina enters the championships with several nationally ranked players: Kaitlyn Carnicella is No. 23 in singles, Helena Buchwald No. 24, and Buchwald and Piani are ranked No. 32 in doubles.
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South Carolina’s Jana Stojanova and freshman Francie Pate won singles flight titles at the Debbie Southern Furman Fall Classic, while Pate and Stojanova also earned a doubles flight victory.
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The tournament’s NCAA qualification structure includes 10 singles berths—eight from main-draw quarterfinals and two from feed-in consolation finals—and five doubles berths, awarded to four main-draw semifinalists and the consolation champion.
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UCLA’s nationally ranked players include No. 13 singles player Mayu Crossley, No. 102 Kate Fakih, and the No. 35 and No. 45 doubles teams of Bernales/Fakih and Center/Guichard.
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Troy’s Ausias Martin Melo enters with a 19-10 singles record from the previous season, including a 13-5 mark on court one and All-Sun Belt Singles Second Team honors; teammates Luciano Alcocer and Stephan Tavares Noale posted doubles records of 25-9 and 18-11, respectively.
Top college tennis teams are converging on two cities this September for the 2026 ITA All-American Championships, the crucial tournament that opens doors to the NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships. Princeton Tigers reports the women's event runs Sept. 19-27 at Cary Tennis Park in North Carolina, while the men compete in Tulsa, Oklahoma during the same dates. South Carolina, North Carolina, and UCLA will battle in the women's field, with Troy representing the men's draw after posting a strong 24-5 season record.
South Carolina Brings Top Talent to Women's Draw
South Carolina's women's team will send two singles players to the main draw, including nationally ranked Kaitlyn Carnicella at No. 23 and Helena Buchwald at No. 24. Buchwald pairs with Piani in doubles, ranked No. 32 nationally. The Gamecocks gained momentum heading into the ITA event after strong performances at the Debbie Southern Furman Fall Classic, where Jana Stojanova and freshman Francie Pate claimed singles flight titles. The same duo also won the doubles flight championship at that event.
UCLA's Crossley Leads Deep Women's Field
UCLA brings six athletes to Cary, led by nationally ranked singles player Mayu Crossley at No. 13. Kate Fakih checks in at No. 102 in singles. The Bruins' doubles pairs are also highly ranked—Bernales and Fakih sit at No. 35, while Center and Guichard are ranked No. 45. This depth positions UCLA as a contender for multiple NCAA qualification spots in both singles and doubles competition.
North Carolina Fields Seven Players in Singles
North Carolina will send seven players to the women's main draw, giving the Tar Heels significant representation in singles competition. Pepperdine Waves reports the ITA All-American Championships serve as the first major qualifier for NCAA individual tournaments. With seven entries, North Carolina aims to secure multiple berths to the next round of NCAA competition.
Troy's Men Target NCAA Qualification in Tulsa
Troy's Ausias Martin Melo leads the Trojans' men's contingent with a 19-10 singles record from the previous season, including a 13-5 mark on court one and All-Sun Belt Singles Second Team honors. Teammates Luciano Alcocer and Stephan Tavares Noale bring strong doubles credentials with records of 25-9 and 18-11, respectively. Ole Miss Sports indicates the men's tournament runs the full Sept. 19-27 week at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center in Tulsa.
NCAA Qualification Spots Determine Advancement Path
The ITA All-American Championships awards 10 singles berths to the NCAA tournament—eight from main-draw quarterfinal winners and two from feed-in consolation finals. Doubles qualification is more selective: four main-draw semifinalists plus the consolation champion earn the five available NCAA berths. Both singles and doubles players can advance through multiple pathways, giving teams more chances to claim tournament spots crucial for March's NCAA Championships.
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