LATHAM, N.Y. – Katherine Yao (North Potomac, Md./T.S. Wootton) was selected as the United East Conference Player of the Week for women's tennis as announced by the league office Tuesday morning (Sept. 29). This is Yao's first-ever conference player of the week award.
The St. Mary's College of Maryland women's tennis team competed at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Southeast Regionals hosted by the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Va., on Sept. 25-27.
The 5-1 first-year advanced to the finals of the Blue 3 East singles draw at the ITA Southeast Regionals, posting a 3-1 record. Yao began with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Mary Washington's
Emily Tharpe in the round of 16. She then earned an 8-3 victory over Roanoke College's
Madison Cockrell in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Yao pulled out an 8-6 triumph over Dickinson's
Madison Gerecke to secure a spot in the final. She eventually fell 8-4 to Batten University's
Jette Hafermann.
Yao partnered with sophomore
Lily Ganjbaksh (Potomac, Md./Winston Churchill) in the Championship Main draw, finishing with a 1-2 mark. The duo dropped an 8-2 decision in the round of 64 to Salisbury University's
Cleopatra Solomon and
Gibelle Beaujon before advancing to the consolation round of 32 with a walkover win over Lebanon Valley College's
Maira McCartin and
Erika Badner. Mary Washington's
Madeleine Holman and
Rita Taylor stopped Yao and Ganjbaksh, 8-2.
St. Mary's College (0-1) will return to action Saturday, Oct. 10, when the Seahawks travel to Arlington, Va., to take on Marymount (Va.) University (0-1) in a non-conference match at 1 pm.
2026-27 United East Conference Women's Tennis Players of the Week
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