For the first time in program history, the Toledo women’s tennis team will play in the NCAA Division I Women’s Tennis Championships. The Rockets (18-5) will face No.12 seed Ohio State (19-7) in the first round of competition on Saturday, May 4, in Columbus at 1 p.m.
The Rockets gathered in the Grogan Room at Savage Arena to watch the NCAA Selection Show on Monday evening and burst into celebration when they saw their name appear on the screen for the first time.
For the first time in program history, the Toledo women’s tennis team will play in the NCAA Division I Women’s Tennis Championships.
“This is an incredible experience,” two-time MAC Coach of the Year Tracy Mauntler said. “All the girls have been on a high since Saturday. It doesn’t really matter who we play. Just seeing Toledo on the screen is really a dream come true for our program. All season long we’ve been the favorite, so there’s been a lot of pressure. So going into a match like this, we can be loose and just go after it.”
Mauntler emphasized how hard her team has worked to get to this moment and is excited for their next experience in an already historic season.
“They deserve this so much. There is nothing about this that has come easy for us. They’ve worked and worked and worked and gotten knocked down and kept getting back up. So, this is the perfect ending for them. We’re just going to enjoy it. They’re going to battle like they always do. They’re going to make Toledo proud like they always do. Ohio State is a well-respected team, a powerhouse.”
Toledo earned an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament by winning the 2024 Mid-American Conference Tournament Championship in an overwhelming 4-1 victory over Miami on April 27. It was the program’s first-ever MAC Tournament title.
OSU, which finished runner-up in the 2024 Big Ten Tournament to Michigan, is making its 10th consecutive and 20th overall NCAA Tournament appearance in school history.
The Rockets and Buckeyes will take the court for the 13th time in program history, and the first time since Jan. 23, 2013, when Toledo lost 7-0.
Three-time MAC Player of the Year, Cassie Alcala recorded her 100th career singles victory to clinch match point for Toledo over Miami from the top court to win the program’s first conference tournament title. She was named First-Team All-MAC for the fourth time in her career, picked to the MAC All-Tournament team, and named MAC Tournament MVP for leading her team to the big dance. Senior Sloane Teske joined Alcala as a First-Team All-MAC and MAC All-Tournament selection, while senior Shalini Tallamraju was picked as Second-Team All-MAC for a second straight season.
No.12 seed Ohio State will host the first two rounds of the women’s tournament at the Ty Tucker Tennis Center in Columbus. Wake Forest and Vanderbilt will play on Saturday at 10 a.m. before the Toledo-OSU match at 1 p.m. The winners of each match will play in the second round on Sunday, May 5, at noon.
